Centre moots to modify Organ Transplantation Act: Minister

Pondicherry, Aug 12 (UNI) Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Anbumani Ramadoss today said the government has proposed to modify the Organ Transplantation Act to meet the requirement and availability of organs.

Inaugurating the 54th annual conference of the Tamil Nadu Ophthalmic Association organised by the Pondicherry Ophthalmologists' association at the centrally administered Jipmer here. Dr Ramadoss said there are a huge gap between the requirement and availability of organs.

In the case of eye donation, presently 25,000 eyes were being donated yearly, whereas the requirement stood at 1,00,000. The government would give emphasis on eye-banking with sufficient allocation of money in this regard, he said.

The government would give training to young and budding Ophthalmologists and Rs 45,000 would be spent on each for a training of eight months, he added.

''Apart from chronic and communicable diseases, India will be facing the challenge of childhood blindness in future for which proper attention need to be given'', he said.

To curb the impending danger, he said the ophthalmologists would have to play a vital role by creating awareness.

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