India spends less than 1 per cent of its GDP on health sector. However, given the increasing need for organ transplantation, a state-run national agenda is needed in this direction.
Douglas W Hanto, Chief, Division of Transplantation, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre in Boston, told reporters on Friday a central body, like in the US, is needed to maintain a registry of organ transplantation recipients and donors in India. At present, only zonal transplantation committees exist in some states.
Dr Hanto felt India can adopt the US model, where bodies like United Network for Organ Sharing and American Organ Procurement Organisation, comprising physicians, legal community and social workers are functioning for 25 years to look into areas concerning organ transplantation.