On World Liver Day, doctors highlight need for donation awareness

Nagpur: As World Liver Day was celebrated worldwide on Saturday, city doctors and health officials turned the spotlight towards the lesser acknowledged heroes — liver donors — while speaking with TOI.

According to them, the selfless acts by these donors give new life to patients battling end-stage liver disease.

"Whenever we talk about liver disease, the focus is often on patients. But we rarely acknowledge the true heroes — our liver donors," said Dr Swapnil Sharma, liver transplant surgeon.

"Let's honour the unsung heroes — those who donate while being alive, and families of brain-dead patients — who make life-saving transplants possible."

According to Dr Rahul Saxena, liver transplant surgeon and secretary of Zonal Transplant Coordination Centre (ZTCC), Nagpur, the city has more than 200 patients currently on the waiting list for a liver. "Donation of liver is safe, normal, and life-saving, but sadly, many people are still reluctant to come forward."

He shared that many donations come from middle and lower-income families, especially from women. "We see wives, mothers, and sisters stepping forward to save their loved ones — usually the family's breadwinner."

Earlier, liver failure due to alcohol consumption was common in lower and middle-income groups. But today, about 70% of liver diseases are caused by Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) — a lifestyle-related condition more prevalent among the urban and affluent population.

"India's liver disease pattern is beginning to resemble that of the United States," said Dr Saxena. "Ironically, though more patients from the upper class now require transplants, their relatives often don't come forward to donate."

Despite financial constraints, many patients do manage to undergo transplantation thanks to govt health schemes.

According to Sanjay Kolte, president of ZTCC Nagpur, patients receive aid under Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jeevandayi Yojana (MJPJY), the chief minister's relief fund, Prime Minister's relief fund, and Ayushman Bharat (Akhil Bharatiya Jan Aarogya Yojana).

A significant number of liver transplants in public hospitals in the region were successfully carried out under these schemes. "Overall, 70.9% of transplant patients in public hospitals of Nagpur received support through govt schemes. These numbers show how crucial public healthcare and govt support are in saving lives," Kolte emphasised. "Currently, there are five public hospitals in the ZTCC Nagpur region that provide kidney transplantation services, and the hope is to strengthen liver transplant services similarly."