Organ donation is less popular in India, as compared to western countries. The Covid-19 pandemic, which has raged over the last 18 months, has further adversely impacted the number of organ donations, claim health experts.

August 13 is observed as World Organ Donation Day every year to motivate people to pledge organ donation after death and to spread awareness and eliminate myths and fears regarding organ donation.

During the Covid pandemic lockdowns, fear of infection, and lack of awareness caused a reduction in chances of organ donation, experts said.

There are two ways to donate organs: a living donor — a healthy person who donates one of a pair of organs such as the kidney or part of an organ such as the liver; or through Cadaveric donation — when the organs (heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, pancreas) of brain dead people are harvested, as well as tissue donation, meaning taking skin, corneas, tendons, bone from the brain dead and people whose heart has stopped, but in such a case it has to be done within a limited period.