Kidney Transplant: Misconceptions And Truths One Should Be Aware Of

Many times, cultural and religious views, as well as widespread myths, influence how individuals view organ donation and transplantation. The same holds true with kidney transplants.

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Organ donation is finding more acceptance in India but we still have a long way to go. Passed in 1994, the Transplantation of Human Organs Act (THOA) by the Government of India and then amended in 2011 and 2014, has brought about considerable change in how the country approaches organ donation.

While we have come a long way from ignorance about organ donation, a lot still needs to be done.

Many times, cultural and religious beliefs and common myths affect how people look at organ donation and transplant. The same is true for kidney transplants as well.

In an interaction with ABP Live, Sunayana Singh, CEO of ORGAN India, talked about the common myth surrounding kidney donation and transplant, she said, "a kidney transplant is often the best treatment for most patients with fatal kidney diseases. It brings significant improvement in the quality of life and survival of patients with successful kidney grafts. Currently, the patient and graft survival rate one year after transplantation is higher than 95%. This is true for recipients of living and deceased donor kidneys."

"Yet people often hesitate to opt for transplantation and the process is plagued by many misconceptions and myths," she added and listed below some of the misconceptions around it: 

1. Deteriorated quality of life after transplant - one of the biggest myths surrounding kidney transplant is about life after transplant for both the donor and receiver. Misconceptions like the need to survive on medicines post-surgery, loss of strength to support their family, sexual problems, etc are why many people are hesitant to go for kidney transplants.

The fact however is that a donor or receiver only has to take medicine for a certain period post-surgery to help with the recovery. All donors have to undergo an extensive medical assessment before donating and are monitored with regular follow-ups.

Post-recovery, the patient and donor can live a normal life.

2. Older People cannot be donors-It is sad that in India the donor rate is 0.25 per million population. Often due to inefficient medical staff, poor coordination, or hesitation on the family’s part, organs are not retrieved from deceased donors, organs that could have saved many lives.

To add to this issue, there is a misconception that older people cannot donate kidneys.

The fact is that any adult over the age of 18 can be a donor provided that they are healthy and pass the required tests conducted by the medical staff before transplant. The health of the kidney and its compatibility with the patient's body is all that matters in a transplant no matter the age of the donor.

3. Anyone can donate a kidney-this myth is especially harmful and counterproductive to the noble work that organ donation is. Enhanced by the bad reputation that the organ racket caused years ago, this myth still does the rounds now and then.

The fact is that there are now strict laws in place that allow for only ethical donations by family members. This also is allowed after multiple sessions with the medical staff facilitating the organ donation. Relevant questions are asked, proper medical tests are then and only post that, the donor is allowed to donate the kidney.

Organ donation is one of the noblest acts. In India, the total number of kidneys donated by both Deceased and Living Organ Donors was 9105 in 2021. Debunking the above-mentioned myths and many more such misconceptions will aid in increasing awareness about organ donation and why it is the need of the hour.