May I congratulate Rupanjana Dutta for her excellent piece in last week’s AV, under the title “Organ Donation Crisis Hits Asians”. Organ donations among Asians, indeed among Black, Asian and ethnic minorities (BAME) is so minuscule that it is no wonder our people are dying while waiting for the availability of an organ. Although the fault-line lies mainly with Asian community, due to cultural and religious sensitivity, which does not come into equation when we are the recipients, it is mainly the fault of our politicians who are unwilling to tackle the problem head on, fearing political backlash. Then this is the norm among politicians when it comes to tackling some serious issues, especially when dealing with BAME.
BAME forms one of the largest groups waiting for organ transplant surgery, three out of ten is from BAME, considering we form just 11% of the population. Organ donation crisis has been into public domain for a long time. Some parts of United Kingdom, like Wales has indeed introduced some half-hearted legislation but it has no visible effects, as relatives have the final say, even when the person is on the donation register. One encouraging development is live donations, especially for kidneys, as one can survive on a single kidney. It has taken off due to kidney exchange programme when one can receive a kidney from a distant live donor in exchange for a live kidney which may benefit other patient, a match and exchange programme.
Government should study why such scarcity does not exist in many EU countries. One suggestion put forward by experts is that when we register with GP, we should be given a form to sign, with in and out options, after having heart to heart talk with GP, making it clear that if one opts out, then one is also opting out from NHS transplant programme under NHS. This policy may work if it is implemented without fear or favour under an all-party alliance.
Bhupendra M. Gandhi
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