New guidelines launched to enhance organ transport across India | Fusion - WeRIndia

To improve the transportation of human organs across various modes of travel in India, the Union Health Ministry has introduced detailed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

These new guidelines are designed to streamline the organ transport process in various modes of travel like air, road, railways, and waterways.

At the same time, they ensure more lives can be saved through efficient and timely transplants.

Union Health Ministry emphasized the critical role of these SOPs, stating that they are essential for maximizing the use of donated organs and providing hope to those in need of life-saving transplants.

The SOPs serve as a comprehensive guide for organ retrieval and transplant institutions across India, promoting adherence to best practices and high standards of quality.

Here are the highlights of the new SOPs

Air Travel:

• Airlines transporting human organs can request priority take-off and landing clearance from Air Traffic Control.
• Priority seating and reservations will be arranged for medical personnel involved in organ transport.
• Coordination between source and destination airports will be enhanced to ensure smooth transitions.
• Flight captains may inform passengers about the presence of human organs on board.
• Airport staff will assist in moving the organ box from the aircraft to the waiting ambulance, with airline crew supporting medical personnel when ambulances are permitted up to the runway.

Green Corridor:

• A designated green corridor, free of obstructions, will be established for organ transport between the ambulance and the aircraft.
• The One Trigger System will be activated by the organ allocation authority to facilitate the creation of these green corridors.
• A nodal officer from the police department will be appointed in each state or city to oversee the logistics of green corridor creation.

Road and Metro Transport:

• Green corridors will be made available for organ transport by ambulance and other vehicles upon request.
• State traffic police will receive training on the importance of organ donation and the creation of green corridors.
• Metro systems will prioritize trains carrying human organs, with metro security ensuring the safe handling of the organ box and escorting the clinical team.

Safety and Handling Protocols:

• The organ box must be kept upright at a 90-degree angle during transport and clearly labelled with “handle with care”.
• To ensure maximum safety, the organ box should be secured with a seatbelt during transport.

These SOPs were developed with input from NITI Aayog, relevant ministries, and transplant professionals.

They are expected to significantly improve the efficiency and safety of organ transportation across India, ultimately saving more lives through timely and effective transplants.

Image Credit: BruceBlaus CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Image Reference: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kidney_Transplant.png