Bike rally held to promote organ donation

Apollo BGS Hospitals, Mysuru, organises street plays to motivate people to donate vital organs

Mysuru, Sept.4- With a motto ‘One of the best forms of donation is organ donation,’ Apollo BGS Hospitals, Mysuru, had on Sept.1 organised a bike rally and street plays to create awareness about organ donation, inspiring more and more people to come forward to donate organs of their loved ones when they are declared brain dead or dead. The activity was also to encourage people to register their names for organ donation. The campaign involved teams of doctors, hospital administration staff along with the management of Apollo BGS going on bikes to the peripheral cities, staging street plays in crowded places. Through this campaign, cooperation was sought from government officers and institutions to take organ donation on a larger scale and drive organ donation awareness.

The Hospital wants its objective to be fully achieved and has launched a unique programme called ‘Punarjanma’ that means rebirth when translated to English. The programme aims to give a new lease of life to thousands of people who are waiting in long lines to receive organs from donors. As part of the initiative, several Policemen and Traffic Cops were felicitated and honoured for their selfless service.

As part of the bike rally, over 40 hospital staff, doctors along with to Apollo Emergency Care Centre in Nanjangud in 20 bullets, staged a street play and created organ donation awareness. The event was flagged off from Apollo Mysuru and along the ride, organ donation registrations were done.

In all, four such campaigns have been launched as part of ‘Punarjanma’. “We have planned a total of four bike rides spread across the next few months till the National Organ Donation Day which will be observed on November 27 as per Ministry of Health and Welfare, Govt. of India,” said, N.G. Bharateesha Reddy, Vice-President and Unit Head, Apollo BGS Hospitals, Mysuru.

“There is a need to create awareness on organ donation in India and counter the myths surrounding organ donation. For many of the end-stage organ diseases, organ transplantation is the most preferred treatment. The need for the organ transplantation is higher than the availability. Hence, we have come forward to create awareness,” he added.

Apollo BGS Hospitals, Mysuru, is a licensed kidney and liver transplant unit for areas surrounding Mysuru, Nanjangud, Hassan, Kodagu and Mandya. The hospital has successfully conducted over 200 kidney and liver transplants.