Press Release:
SKIMS Celebrates Organ Donation Day,
Director SKIMS Pledges to donate his organs

Srinagar 3rd August, 2024:  Director SKIMS Dr. Ashraf Ganai pledged to donate his organs  today on Organ Donation Day organised by Kidney Transplant Unit , Sher-I-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences. While speaking on the occasion Dr. Ashraf Ganie took the pledge to donate his organs. He lauded the organising committee for conducting the awareness campaign and added these programs are important to sensitise the general public. He said SKIMS will start up a liver transplant program for which the plan is being worked out and other transplants will also be scaled up, he added.

On the event the noted legal ,religious and social experts discussed in detail the various perspectives on organ donation.

Retired Justice Bashir A Kirmani made a lucid speech and said the laws are facilitating and supportive to the organ donation initiatives however, he said  issue needs to be understood in wider social & religious context to support this noble cause. He stressed that there is a need to sensitise the people,  to evolve a support system with a wider mechanism and individual efforts for greater motivation.

The religious scholars including Maulana Mufti Nazir A Qasmi, Aga Syed Mudasir Hasan Rizvi,
Mr Navtej Singh Sikh community leader while deliberating on the subject unanimously underscored the importance of organ donation and said that organ donation is permitted under law and the stand of all religions is clear on organ donation as it is a noble cause serving humanity.

Director Health Services Dr,.Mushtaq A Rather in his address emphasised on importance of organ donation in saving lives and enhance quality of life who are suffering from life threatening diseases and need organ donation. He also highlighted the role of various organisations like NOTTO & SOTTO.

Prominent broadcaster Mr Satish Vimal appreciated the organising committee for organising the awareness program and said that these initiatives are cornerstone to spread awareness which reaches general masses.

Organising Chairman & HOD Urology & Head Kidney Transplant Unit  Prof. Arif Hamid welcomed the guests and all the participants and said that these programs go a long way to create much needed awareness about organ donation. He said today's  program is critical in highlighting the role of organ donation in saving multiple lives.

Prof. Muzaffar Maqsood Wani, Department of Nephrology highligted the importance of Organ Donation across the globe. While sharing the  facts and figures of organ donation programs at multiple levels, he emphasised the need of awareness amid a huge gap of organ availability and urged everyone to pledge to donate and support this life saving initiative.

The program was focussed to raise awareness amongst the masses to understand and pledge for organ donation in their lifetime. This day has been declared by NOTTO as the organ donation day and various programs are conducted throughout the country to raise awareness about organ donation. Under the patronage of Director SKIMS Dr. Mohd Ashraf Ganie the Kidney Transplant Unit SKIMS organised the event today.

Issued through PR Office SKIMS.