Getting creative with the message and using all forms of media to spread it would help promote organ donation and bust the myths surrounding it, said Dr Christopher Barry, liver transplant surgeon from University of Rochester, US. The doctor, who was in the city to raise awareness about organ donation, said though India, especially Tamil Nadu, was making rapid progress in organ donation, there was still a long way to go.

« The target should be the youth as they are the ones who are highly active on social networking sites. Creative ways to communicate messages can be adopted to spread awareness, » he said. Dr Barry, who is also co-founder of b-LifeNY, a non-governmental organisation in New York, recalled a campaign they had run. Supporters of organ donation were requested to send pictures that were posted on the NGO’s website and Facebook page with the message, ‘We love you for being an organ donor’. « Within a couple of weeks, the campaign caught on and our page views soared, » he said.

In order to make organ donation a success, donors, recipients and their families should become vociferous advocates. « This has not happened in India where the onus is on the government and social workers alone. Nothing makes a better impact than people who have given and received speaking about organ donation, » he said.

D Barry said donation rates were abysmal in New York. « Many doctors do not support organ donation. Fears, myths and reluctance to go beyond the routine are the hindering factors, » he said. In contrast, healthcare professionals in India actively promote organ donation but infrastructure needed improvement. « India is yet to set up a national organ donation registry. Digitising the organ allocation system should be a priority. Work needs to go into building efficient organ procurement organisations that act as a nexus between donors and recipients, » he said.

He stressed on the importance of engaging spiritual leaders, celebrities and politicians in promoting organ donation. It is not a pressing issue like malaria or malnutrition, but is has the potential to change lives, he said. « In India there are many living donor transplants. If deceased donor transplants increase, it would be a game changer, » said Dr Barry.