The Union Health Ministry has introduced comprehensive Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to enhance the transport of human organs across various modes of travel, including air, road, railways, and waterways. These SOPs aim to streamline the organ transport process, maximize the utilization of precious organs, and offer hope to numerous patients awaiting life-saving transplants.
Union Health Secretary Apurva Chandra emphasized the significance of these guidelines, stating, "By streamlining the organ transport process, we aim to maximize the utilization of precious organs and offer hope to countless patients awaiting life-saving transplants. These SOPs are a roadmap for organ retrieval and transplant institutions across the country, ensuring adherence to best practices and quality standards."
Key Highlights of the New SOPs
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Air Transport:
-Airlines carrying human cadaveric organs can request priority take-off and landing from Air Traffic Control.
-Front-row seats and priority reservations can be arranged for medical personnel transporting organs.
-The source airport will communicate with the destination airport to facilitate the arrival process.
-Flight captains may make in-flight announcements about the transport of human organs.
-Airport and airline staff can arrange trolleys for carrying the organ box from the aircraft to the ambulance, and in cases where the ambulance is allowed up to the runway, the airline crew can assist the medical personnel directly to the waiting ambulance.
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Green Corridor:
-A "green corridor," free from obstruction, should be defined for organ transport from ambulance to aircraft and vice versa.
-The "One Trigger System," a request from the organ allocation authority (NOTTO/ROTTO/SOTTO) to initiate the process of organ transport by creating green corridors, may be implemented.
-A nodal officer from the police department can be appointed to handle issues related to the creation of green corridors in each state or city.
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Road and Metro Transport:
-To facilitate the transport of organs by ambulance and other vehicles, green corridors may be provided upon request.
-State traffic police should be sensitized about organ donation and the creation of green corridors.
-Metro systems should prioritize transit for trains carrying human organs, with metro security staff escorting the clinical team and ensuring the organ box is handled properly.
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Handling and Safety Measures:
-The organ box should be kept upright at 90 degrees during transport and labeled "handle with care."
-The organ box should be secured with a seat belt for greater safety.
Meanwhile, it is pertinent to note that the SOPs were developed in consultation with NITI Aayog, concerned ministries, and transplant professionals.
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