In an endeavour aimed at encouraging organ donation to save lives, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has announced that the last rites of organ donors will now be conducted with full State Honors, in a gesture of recognition for their selfless contribution.
This move is expected to not only honour the generosity of donors but also to raise awareness and inspire more individuals to come forward and donate their organs to save precious lives, said Chief Minister Patnaik.
This announcement comes as part of the State Government’s ongoing efforts to promote organ donation. In 2019, the Odisha Government established the ‘State Organ & Tissue Transplant Organisation’ to facilitate the process. Furthermore, in 2020, the Suraj Award was instituted to honour organ donors, named after a deceased accident victim who saved multiple lives through cadaver organ donation.
Chief Minister Patnaik also annually recognizes the next of kin of organ donors on World Organ Donation Day, observed on August 13th each year.
