State's role needed for organ donation promotion: Kolkata Mayor

Guwahati, Aug 20 (UNI) Kolkata Mayor Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya today called for a greater role of the state in ensuring that more people pledge their posthumous bodies for organ transplantation and medical research.

He was speaking on the concluding day of the two-day workshop on 'Scientific Approach to Donation of Posthumous Body and Organ,' organised by the state Bharat Jana Vigyan Jatha, in association with the Asom Science Technology and Environment Council, Guwahati Municipal Corporation and the Ellora Vigyan Mancha (EVM).

The workshop is a part of regional sensitisation programme of the NCSTC-Network.

Mr Bhattacharya explained that there were no legal hassles involved if a person pledged his posthumous body for donation.

However, the difficulties were generally created by the family of the dead.

''The families of such persons should be convinced that another human being could be given a new lease of life with the help of the organs donated by the dead man,'' he said, and stressed on the role of the religious leaders in encouraging people to donate organs and body.

The Mayor mooted the idea that the body of a person was his prerogative and he could decide during his lifetime on how to dispose of his posthumous body. He called for a greater role in this regard.

''The posthumous body should be declared the property of the state as it provides for burial or cremation facilities. The body should be taken over by the state authority and death certificate issued to the family,'' he advocated.

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