State tops NE in organ, tissue donation: Director
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, August 03 2025: Manipur tops the chart among the north-eastern states in organ and tissue donations, said Directorate of Health Services director Dr Chambo Gonmei.

The director declared the state's enviable position while speaking as the chief guest during observance of the 15th Indian Organ Donation Day-2025 organised by State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (SOTTO) under the Directorate on the theme "Angdaan-Jeevan Sanjivani Abhiyan/Donate-Organs Save Lives", at the Banquet Hall of Hotel Imolesh, Old Lambulane on Sunday.

Presided over by the Directorate's additional director Dr N Bino Singh, the observance was attended by JNIMS medical superintendent Dr Khumukcham Lokeshwar, NPCB National Programme for Control of Blindness SNO Dr Bikram Khoisnam and Directorate of Health Services (Maternal Health) consultant (vital statistics) Dr Meena Seram as the guests of honour.

State tops NE in organ, tissue donation: Director

In his address,-Dr Chambo said Manipur won the 'Best North-East State Award' for organ donation and transplantation.

The state having already adjudged as the 'Best Emerging State', is a proud moment for a small state like Manipur to be at the forefront of organ donation and tissue transplantation amongst the north eastern states, he remarked.

Pointing out after death human bodies either get decomposed or reduced to ashes in accordance with rituals of the religions concerned, he said one can donate organs or tissues while still alive or even after death to help give others another chance at life.

Informing that organ donation and tissue transplantation are carried out at RIMS, JNIMS and private hospitals like Babina and Shija, Dr Chambo said that around 185 kidney transplantations have been car ried out successfully, of which 123 were female donors and 54 male donors.

As such, there is a need to increase the number of male donors, he stressed.

Stating that he is a registered and certified organ donor, the director confided about his formal pledge to donate his eyes.

He then appealed to all concerned to become organ donors, while urging the media to shoulder the responsibility of spreading awareness about organ and tissue donation amongst the masses.

Delivering the keynote speech, SOTTO deputy CMO Dr N Suguna Devi said that around five lakh people in India are in need of organ transplantation per year, while only around 15,000 people are donating organ per year.

As such, around 4,85,000 patients are unable to receive vital organs.

She continued that under The Transplantation of Human Organs Act, 1994, the first heart transplant was carried out in August 3 the same year.

Under the supervision of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the National Organs and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) began observing the day since 2010, recounted Dr N Suguna.

She said an organ donor would forever be remembered by the people in general, and the recipient in particular, adding that being an organ donor is the highest ethical and humanitarian service one can do.

In his speech, Dr Lokeshwar described organ and tissue donation as the highest dharma of humanity.

During the observance, All Manipur Kidney Transplant Patients' Welfare Association member and kidney transplant recipient Pukhrambam Anand Singh, who won the silver medal in the 5000m walking race at the National PGI Transplant Games 2025 held in Chandigarh was felicitated, along with families of donors.

They were honoured with certificates and simple gifts.