• UGI USER
  • Aug 06, 2024
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INDIA’S NEW STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE (SOP) TO SPEED UP ORGAN TRANSPORT

Why in the news?

The Centre’s new SOP streamlines organ transplant transport, eliminating airport screenings, ensuring efficient organ delivery via road, air, rail, and sea, and coordinating with multiple ministries to enhance speed and safety.

About New SOP for Organ Transport:

  • Uniform SOP Finalised: The Centre has implemented a standard operating procedure (SOP) to expedite organ transport, eliminating airport screening. This policy, developed by Niti Aayog and various ministries, aims to enhance coordination and efficiency in organ transport.
  • Details of the SOP:
    • Transportation Modes: The SOP covers road, air, rail, and water transport, requiring green corridors for quick transit and medical personnel to accompany organs.
    • Air Transport: Ensures proper packaging, labelling, and security; exempts organ boxes from X-ray screening. Priority for medical staff during boarding and deboarding is mandated.
source:researchgate
Key Highlights of the New SOPs:

Air Transport:

  • Airlines can request priority take-off/landing; front-row seats for medical staff.
  • Airports will coordinate arrival; in-flight announcements may be made.
  • Trolleys and direct ambulance access can be arranged.

Green Corridor:

  • Define obstruction-free green corridors for transport; initiate with the “One Trigger System.”
  • Appoint police nodal officers for green corridor creation.

Road and Metro Transport:

  • Green corridors for ambulances; sensitization for state traffic police.
  • Metro systems to prioritise trains carrying organs with staff escort.

Handling and Safety:

  • Keep the organ box upright; label and secure with a seat belt.

Government Steps to Facilitate Organ Transplant in India:

  • Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act (THOTA): Enacted in 1994; establishes NOTTO and SOTTO for organ transplantation oversight.
  • National Organ Transplant Programme (NOTP): Launched in 2014; creates organ donor registry, sets up transplant centres, raises awareness.

Deceased Organ Donation

  • Program: Encourages organ donation from deceased individuals.
  • National Organ Donation Day: Celebrated on November 27 to promote organ donation.
  • Swasth Bharat Yatra: Campaign to promote healthy living and organ donation awareness.
  • National Organ and Tissue Transplant Registry: Maintains records to aid policy development.
  • Organ Retrieval Banking Organization: Manages organ retrieval and distribution in Delhi-NCR