The UP government has decided to set up the State Organ Tissue Transplant Organisation (SOTTO), a state-level body that will advance the process of organ transplant like never before, in the capital city. According to Additional Chief Secretary, Medical Education, “SOTTO that will come up at the Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS), aims to formalize the system of organ and tissue procurement and its distribution for transplantation.” The ACS further added that the body would also work to train the required manpower and towards the promotion of cadaveric (deceased) organ and tissue donation, which will make it convenient for patients who are in need.
26 institutions will join hands for this cause
SOTTO will monitor organ and tissue transplant services and enforce policies and programmes with corrections or changes, whenever needed to protect the vulnerable individuals from organ trafficking. The system will simplify a number of things for the patients. Along with government institutions, the Uttar Pradesh SOTTO will also bring private hospitals under its umbrella. Overall, 26 institutions will join hands for this cause and following this step, SGPGI will host the first virtual dialogue on SOTTO on Saturday, which will witness the presence of over a dozen hospital representatives.
Dr. Rajesh Harshvardhan, the head of administration department at SGPGI, was quoted saying, “SOTTO will keep all the information in one place and follow the rules which were made by the national body. We will be working as the organ banking nodal centre. The website of SOTTO will soon be created by the hospital administration.”
SGPGIMS Director, Prof. R.K. Dhiman mentioned, “An umbrella body will address all the loose ends that impede the development of UP as an organ transplantation centre. Once in place, we will look forward to diversifying from renal transplants to liver, pancreas and even heart in the coming days. The institute will hold awareness and sensitisation campaigns too.”
With inputs from IANS
