The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoH&FW) on April 02, 2024, issued a notification regarding the implementation of monitoring of Brain Stem Death on a regular basis.
The following has been stated: -
•The organ donation rate in India continues to be low (less than 1 donor per million populations in a year). One of the key challenges identified in this is, poor identification and certification of Brain stem death (BSD) cases despite the availability of many such potential cases.
•It is pertinent to mention that, as per provisions of 'The Transplantation of Human Organs Tissues Act, 1994" & Rules thereunder, it is required to identify each potential brain stem death case, admitted in the ICU and further it is a mandatory duty to enquire whether such potential donor had pledged for organ donation and if not to make the family members aware of the opportunity to donate organs before the heart stops. The doctor on duty with the help of the transplant coordinator is required to make the above-mentioned inquiry after certification of such BSD cases.
•Every Institution is requested to facilitate and monitor the certification of BSD cases so as to ensure compliance with the above-mentioned provisions of the Act and Rules. A template of the "Required Request Display Board" in this regard is enclosed, such boards may be placed outside the ICUs, emergency or any other strategic location in the hospital, A Performa is also enclosed for the collection of such information from the hospitals on a regular monthly basis. The head of the Institution and respective SOTTO should analyze the collected information and corrective actions must be taken with the aim to maximize organ donation from all potential donors. Further, all SOTTOs are requested to collect such information as per Performa from each registered hospital and furnish the same to NOTTO via email by the 7th of every subsequent month.
The detailed notification is given in the document attached below.
[Notification No. R.NO.C-35/466/Admin/NOTTO/22/pt./54]
