NAGPUR: The state government has amended laws for organ donation and included grandparents and grandchildren in the list of donors. At the same time it has banned extraction of organs of minors and mentally challenged persons.

Announcing the changes in law, medical education minister Vinod Tawde said that now organs donated by Indian citizens can no longer be transplanted in bodies of foreigners. “Other than doctors now trained paramedical staff can also extract eyes from donors. The committee appointed to oversee such transplants under the Act have now been given judicial powers,” he added.

The minister further said, “The Human Organ Transplant Act was passed by the central government in 1994 and it was implemented in the state in toto. In order to address challenges arising in the field, the central government amended the act in 2011. The state government decided to incorporate these amendments and also make some changes on its own.”

Outlining other changes, the minister said that if the close relatives of a person can’t donate organs because difference in blood group then an organ swap can be done with another donor. “For the purpose of surgery, organs of brain dead persons can be extract from hospitals other those enlisted under the Act. Provision of donating tissue has been made. These include skin, bones, nerves, heart muscles, etc,” he said.

A mechanism to coordinate organ transplant will be created. Due to the amendment, if a person does not live in the state then his relatives can send organs from here to the person’s state. A databank of organ donors and patients awaiting organ transplant will be created at state and national level. The punishment and fine for violators of the Human Organ Transplant Act has been increased.

Tawde further said that the state intended to make more changes in the Act. “These are expanding the definition of close relatives to include paternal uncles and aunts, maternal uncles and aunts, daughter-in-law, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, step brother, etc. Many persons suffer because of there are no donors among the existing list of close relatives as defined by the law,” he said explaining the need for this amendment. The state also intends to make sale of organs outside India a punishable offence, he added.

Bullet plants

* Granparents and grandchildren included in list of close relatives eligible for organ donation

* Provision of organ swap made if close relatives can’t donate organs due to difference in blood group

* Donating of skin, bones, nerves, heart muscles, etc is now possible

* Close relatives can send the donated organ to other state, where the needy person lives

* Indians can no longer donate organs to foreigners

* Extraction of organs from children and mentally challenged persons banned