Prof. (Dr.) Vimal Bhandari, currently the Director of National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization, is a specialist surgeon in the Prime Minister House & House (VVIP Unit). He is the officer in charge of the Kidney Transplant Unit of VMMC & Safdarjung Hospital as well as a consultant & Professor of Surgery at VMMC and Safdurjung Hospital. He is also a visiting professor to the Russian University in Moscow and Belarus. Dr. Bhandari has published forty papers in both National and International Journals and has presented several papers in National and International Forums. He has received the Presidential Award in 2015 by the Delhi Medical Association (South Zone) and has received a WHO fellowship at Sydney, Australia, as well as a fellowship at Michigan, USA.
NOTTO taking steps towards saving lives
“Organ Donation is not a tragedy, But it can be a beautiful light in the midst of one”
– Author Unknown
Organ donations can largely benefit people by improving their quality of life and increasing the span of their life. Organ Donation should not be thought of as giving away parts of a loved one but as a way to keep that person alive in someone else.
Organ Donation is a concept which to a large extent is still a mystery to the general public, and a few of the main reasons this is still a mystery are the myths surrounding this concept along with the lack of trust in the medical system and legal system as well as the general lack of knowledge and of information about Organ Donation. The most common reason as to why people might require an organ transplant is if they are in end stage organ failure with no other option.
National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO) is a national level organization set up under Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India NOTTO would function as an apex centre for all India activities of coordination and networking for procurement and distribution of Organs and Tissues while maintaining a registry of donors and recipients.
NOTTO has created a network with regional and state level organizations in order to create awareness about and promote organ donation and transplantation activities and is attempting improve infrastructure in order to allow organ donation to take place. NOTTO works towards busting the myths and stigma surrounding organ donation which is a large reason as to why families do not consent for organ donation.
There are two main types of donation- living organ donation and deceased organ donation. One kidney a part of the liver and a portion pancreas can be donated during live organ donation. But after either brainstem death a person can donate multiple organs and tissues. In case of natural death tissues like eyes, skin, and bones can be donated
One can be donor by expressing their wish in the authorized organ donation form (Form-7).
The form can be filled online on the NOTTO website
(www.notto.gov.in) or offline by downloading the form from the NOTTO website. Contrary to popular belief the pledge to donate organs is non-binding, so if one wishes to withdraw their pledge they can easily do so by either calling the NOTTO helpline
(1800-11-4770) or visiting the NOTTO website and after logging in and choosing the un-pledge option. It is necessary for one to inform their family of their wish to pledge because even if they have pledged to donate family consent is a must.
MOU with Spain
on promotion of
Organ Donation signed
in the presence of
Hon’ble Prime Minister
Shri Narendra Modi on
29th may 2017
in Spain
Organ Donation and transplantation is permitted by law, and is covered under the Transplantation of Human Organs Act (THOA) 1994, further amended in 2011 to be known as Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act (THOTA). This Act regulates the removal, storage and transplantation of organ for therapeutic purposes and prevents commercial dealings in human organs.
NOTTO is raising awareness about organ donation through mainstream media and social media campaigns and puts up regular donation camps where people who wish to pledge can go. They sensitize professionals with careers outside the medical or paramedical field.
Key Achievements of NOTTO
- 13 lakh pledges collected and 20 lakh pledges targeted by NOTTO in the year 2017
- 301 Transplant centres in India; 190 registered with NOTTO rest in the process of being registered
- 130 organ retrieved and distributed in different hospitals by NOTTO
- First intestine retrieved at Safdarjung hospital and transplanted in Medanta
- First lung retrieved at PGI Chandigarh and transplanted at Fortis Muland, Mumbai
- 4 Hearts transplanted to foreigners from Russia, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia and USA with the help of NOTTO
- Organ Donation rate has increased from 0.03 to 1 per million population
Article Written By Dr. Vimal Bhandari, Director NOTTO
Some of the Activities Organised During 2016-17
Athletic Federation of India on 6th November 2016 organized 10k Challenge, at India Gate (National Stadium), New Delhi at 07:00 to 09:30 am, NOTTO has also participated in the event with 100 participants wearing NOTTO T-shirts, holding Banners to promote organ donation.
To promote Organ Donation staff of MoHFW & medical colleges had collected 50,000 pledges on 27th November 2016, 11:30 am at Nirman Bhawan and handed over by Dr. Jagdish Prasad, DGHS to Shri. Jagat Prakash Nadda our Hon’ble Minister Health & Family Welfare, GOI.
NOTTO organized the celebration of 7th Indian Organ Donation Day at Constitution Club of India on 30th November 2016, in gracious presence of Sh. J.P. Nadda, Hon’ble Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare, GOI as Chief Guest of the day. 15 donor’s family were felicitated with a Gold plated silver medal, memento and certificate of thanks
World Red Cross Day was celebrated on 8th May 2017 at Birla Auditorium, Jaipur Rajasthan, where a 1000 people took an oath to donate their organs in the presence of Hon’ble Governor of Rajasthan Shri. Kalyan Singh, Hon’ble Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Shri. J.P. Nadda and Dr. Vimal Bhandari, the director of NOTTO. Dr. Bhandari used this occasion as a method to spread awareness for Organ Donation
Prof. Rutger Ploeg, International Faculty, from Oxford University, London, gave hands on training to participating surgeons as a part of the organ retrieval session. Thirty six surgeons, from states which had poor or no transplant activity, were invited and trained.
All the jawans (soldiers) and senior officers from the BSF pledged to donate their organs on 13th August 2016 in the presence of DG,BSF, and , Hon’ble Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Shri. J.P. Nadda, DG Health and Director of NOTTO.
NOTTO organizes Transplant Coordinator training all over the country by collaborating with various organistaions. Till date more than 1000 Transplant Coordinators have been trained by NOTTO.
