At the 77th World Health Assembly, member states passed a resolution aimed at enhancing organ transplantation availability globally. The resolution addresses issues ranging from increasing donations to improving healthcare system integration and combating organ trafficking.
Key Provisions of the Resolution
- Global Strategy Development: Member states are tasked with developing a global strategy on organ transplantation, to be presented for adoption in 2026.
- World Donor Day: The resolution encourages the establishment of a World Donor Day to raise public awareness and increase donations.
- Equitable Access: Despite progress, equitable access to transplantation remains a challenge, particularly between developing and developed countries.
- Guiding Principles: Member states are urged to align with WHO Guiding Principles on Human Cell, Tissue, and Organ Transplantation to enhance availability, particularly focusing on deceased donation.
- Integration into Healthcare Systems: Commitment to integrate organ transplantation into healthcare systems, with a focus on deceased donation as a routine practice.
- Preventing Exploitation: Measures to prevent the exploitation of living donors and ensure adequate follow-up care.
- Expert Committee Establishment: The director-general is urged to establish an expert committee to aid in developing the global strategy and its implementation.
Current Organ Donation Scenario and Challenges
- Organ donation in India increased from 4,990 in 2013 to 16,041 in 2022. However, this still falls short of demand, particularly for kidney transplants, with an annual need of 200,000.
- Globally, over 150,000 solid organ transplants are performed annually, meeting only a fraction of the global need.
Impact of COVID-19 and Addressing Trafficking Concerns
- The COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected organ donation and transplantation activities, necessitating approaches to strengthen healthcare system resilience.
- Insufficient access to transplantation therapies contributes to trafficking in persons for organ removal and trafficking in human organs, posing significant risks to public health and human rights.
Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs):
- What was the main focus of the resolution passed at the 77th World Health Assembly?
- A) Enhancing healthcare infrastructure
- B) Improving organ transplantation availability
- C) Combating infectious diseases
- D) Promoting mental health awareness
- How often is the global strategy on organ transplantation scheduled to be presented for adoption?
- A) Annually
- B) Every two years
- C) Every five years
- D) In 2026
- What does the resolution encourage regarding deceased donation?
- A) Limiting deceased donation
- B) Encouraging deceased donation as a routine practice
- C) Banning deceased donation
- D) Ignoring deceased donation