Hoshiarpur has emerged as the leading district in Punjab in registrations under the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization campaign, recording the highest 2,018 organ donation registrations in the state. According to the latest figures, Patiala secured the second position with 1,147 registrations, while Ludhiana ranked third with 968 registrations.
The achievement is being seen as a major success for the district in promoting awareness about organ and tissue donation. Officials and social workers attributed the milestone to the sustained efforts of the Eye Donation Association, Hoshiarpur, which has been working in the field for the past 26 years with support from district health authorities, the district administration and the Directorate of Medical Education and Research, Punjab.
The association has been conducting awareness drives, seminars, counselling sessions and motivational programmes across the district to encourage people to pledge their organs and eyes for donation after death. These campaigns, organisers said, have helped remove misconceptions surrounding organ donation and motivated citizens to participate in the life saving initiative.
Bahadur Singh Sunet, patron of the association, said organ donation was the greatest gift one person could offer another. He said the strong response from residents of Hoshiarpur reflected growing awareness and compassion in society towards the cause.
Office bearers of the association said a single organ donor could save multiple lives and stressed the need to further strengthen public awareness campaigns so that more people come forward for registration.
In recognition of the achievement, the association has submitted a representation to Civil Surgeon Dr Mandeep Kamal, requesting that the matter be forwarded to the Deputy Commissioner and the Punjab Health Minister for appreciation of the departments, volunteers, healthcare workers and social activists who contributed to the campaign.
The association also appealed to the public to actively participate in organ donation registration, saying thousands of patients suffering from organ failure continue to await transplants and increased public participation could offer them a new lease of life.
Among those present on the occasion were Bahadur Singh Sunet, Manmohan Singh, Suresh Chand Kapatia, Baljit Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Gurpal Singh, Gurpreet Singh, Onkar Singh Dhami, Santosh Saini and Lakhwinder Kaur Dimpi.