The Indian community, especially of Hindu, Sikh and Jain faiths are being urged by Peers and MPs to spread awareness about positives of Organ Donation in the community. Lord Gadhia hosted an event in the Parliament on 12 September 2018 which was attended by a large cross-section of leaders from various community organisations, from across the UK.
He was pleased to welcome as special guest, Jackie Doyle-Price MP, the Health Minister – whose portfolio includes a number of policy areas including leading on NHS blood and transplants, including organ donation.
While organ donation is not prohibited among Hindus, it still remains a rare event among the community. A survey suggests that 959 Asians were waiting for an organ transplant in March 2018. 69 Asians donated a live kidney in 2017/18 and 37 did so after death. 89 people from BAME background died while waiting for an organ transplant in 2017/18.
People from Indian background (most of whom will be Hindus, Sikhs or Jains) had the highest rate of sin ups to the Organ Donor Register, compared to other BAME groups, in 2017/18.
Lord Jitesh Gadhia commended the Minister for Mental Health and Equalities as a great champion for promoting organ donation and actively engaging with diverse communities.
Speaking at the event, he said, “We have just had Organ Donation Week and even more significantly we have recently had the publication of the Government’s response to the Public Consultation on Deemed Consent – which supports legislation, backed by wide cross-party support – to introduce a system of opting-out rather than opting-in.
“There is very strong international evidence that moving to an opt-out system increases organ donation over time. For example, Spain and Belgium have climbed international league tables to become leaders in organ transplantation since they introduced deemed consent.”
The Minister for Mental Health and Inequalities, Jackie Doyle-Price said,
“We know that there is an urgent need for more people from Hindu and Jain communities to support organ donation. Donation is a gift, but we must do all we can to tackle taboos and encourage people to have the conversations with loved ones.
We know that religious leaders support this important cause, yet organ donation rates from these communities remains low. That’s why we have recently launched a new community scheme that will support local leaders in the Hindu and Jain communities to raise awareness of this issue. I encourage everyone to spread the word and I am grateful to Lord Gadhia for putting together such an excellent event.”
The selfless stories that were heard on the day from Swati Bhagat, a kidney donor to her mother and Sina and Jay Patel’s own experience of organ donation through their son Aari, who passed away at the age of three, left a strong mark amongst community leaders and a call for further action.
Kirit Modi, a kidney transplant recipient and Life Vice-President of the NKF, set the scene by highlighting thedesperate need for more organ donors after death and living kidney donors from the Hindu and Jain communities. He said, ”The Government’s plan to introduce ‘deemed consent’ from 2020 in England provides a unique opportunity for Hindu and Jain community leaders to step up by taking the lead in promoting organ donation in their communities. Hinduism and Jainism support organ donation and, by working in partnership with the Government and local hospitals, I am confident that we can make a significant contribution by increasing organ donors from our communities”.
Community leaders were invited to identify what actions they will take to increase organ donation within their community and make pledges. The aspiration of doubling the number of Hindu and Jain living kidney donors and donors after death was discussed at the meeting.
