Goa CM Pramod Sawant pledges to donate his organs

Panaji: Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Thursday pledged to donate his organs as part of a pan-India initiative launched by Bharatiya Janata Party's medical cell.

CM Sawant, in the presence of BJP's Goa medical cell convener Dr Shekhar Salkar and others, signed an online application pledging to donate his petition. He was immediately given a certificate for it.

Addressing a press conference here, the chief minister said he has pledged to donate his kidneys, liver and cornea as part of the drive.

Sawant praised the Union Health Ministry and Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya for taking up the initiative of organ donation across the country.

Organs can be donated online by anyone, who is above 18 years of age, he said.

Thanking the Union government and BJP medical cell for giving him an opportunity to pledge his organs, he said, "Everyone should come forward and pledge to donate organs, which will save other lives in the future."

Sawant said the Goa government has held four successful organ extraction programmes, which have helped the patients in the state and also outside.

Soon, an eye donation bank would be inaugurated in the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), he said.

"There is a growing demand for kidneys by patients. There are 46 patients in Goa who are waiting for kidneys to be donated to them," he said.