Bhubaneswar,Aug 13: “Enlivening others in aftermath of one’s death through organ donation is a higher order of noble acts”, said Dr Mukesh Mahaling, Minister Health & Family Welfare, ParliamentaryAffairs, and Electronics and Information Technology.
He said this while addressing people on the occasion of World Organ Donation Day organised in Loka Seva Bhawan today morning. Paying his homageto noble soul of the organ donors and their immediate family members, he further said, “because of your noble acts that Odisha has been honoured at national level as an emerging state in organ donation. “Your donations have not only saved lives of others but also have brought honours to our motherland Odisha”.
Welcoming the immediate family members of the organ donors, Secretary Health and Family Welfare Aswathy S. said, “Words fail to describe the humanitarian acts and courage of the organ donners and their family members”. She added, one organ donor could save the lives of eight persons in critical stages of their lives. Even, one organ donors through tissue donation could give life-relief to around 50 people”. She expressed her gratitude to them on behalf of the people of Odisha. The entire event was charged with emotional gratitude and reverence to family members of the organ donors.
To mark the occasion, Minister Dr Mahaling, on behalf of the Govt of Odisha conferred the Suraj Award on 24 Organ doners which were posthumously received by their immediate family members. The award was associated with cash reward of Rs, 5 lakh to each family.
Family members of Late Rashmi Prava Patel of Jharsuguda district, Late Sibun Siddharth Sahu of Nayagarh district, Late Bikash Kumar Sahu of Khordha district, Late Manoj Kumar Sahu of Kendrapara, Late Alekh Prasad Parida of Balasore, Late Prahallad Raut of Cuttack, Late Lata Mahant of Keonjhar, Late JanmesLenka of Sundargarh, Late Pradeep Kumar Jena of Khordha, Late Swashriayan Patra of Mayurbhanj, Late Biswajit Das of Angul, Late Jayanta Kumar Khamari of Khordha, Late Ajay Kumar Giri of Kendrapara, Late AsishChhalsing of Koraput, Late Chandrasekhar Nayak of Rayagada, Late Narasingha Prasad Maharana of Gajapati, Late PandaeSabar of Gajapati, Late Sarat Chandra Biswal of Kendrapara, Late PilantSabar of Rayagada, Late K. Naresh Pattnayak of Gajapati, Late Arun Bhuyan of Gajapati, Late Soumya Ranjan Behera of Khordha, Late Shiba Prasad Jena of Bhadrak, and Late Rina Prusty of Khordha district were honoured with the Suraj Award.
It may be pertinent here to mention that the parents of late Suraj Behera had promoted voluntary organ donation in Odisha by donating vital organs of their deceased son. Commemorating their inspiringhumanitarian act, the Suraj Award is being presented to organ donors and organisations promoting organ donation in Odisha every year on 13thAugust on the occasion of World Organ Donation Day since 2020.In recognition of the selfless and courageous contribution of the deceased and their families, the last rites of the donors are also performed with state honour.
Deputy Secretary Health and Family Welfare Ms. Aruna Tripathy coordinated the event. Director Health Services Prof Amarendra Mohanty, Nodal Officer Sate Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation ( SOTTO) Prof UmakantaSatpathy, Jnt Director SOTTO Dr BibhutiBhusan Nayak among other high officials participated in honouring the organ doners.
The State level observation was linked with districts through OSWAN platform wherein immediate family members of the organ doners were honoured by respective collector of their districts after token distribution of the awards by the Minister in State observation.
