Reasons for the shortage of donated cadavers in India

Source: The post reasons for the shortage of donated cadavers in India has been created, based on the article “Why more people need to donate their bodies to science” published in “Indian Express” on 30th September is 2024

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 2 – Governance-Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

Context: The article discusses the importance of cadaver donation in India, especially after Sitaram Yechury’s decision to donate his body to AIIMS. It explains how cadavers are used for medical training, who can donate, the donation process, and the current shortage of cadavers in medical colleges.

For detailed information on Organ donation in India read this article here

What are cadavers used for?

1. Cadavers are primarily used for training doctors in anatomy and surgical techniques.
2. Medical students require cadavers for realistic surgical practice, as dummies do not provide the same experience.
3. Cadavers also aid in developing medical devices and understanding disease effects on the body.

How is Cadaver donation different from Organ donation?

1. Cadaver donation involves donating the entire body after death for medical training, while organ donation focuses on donating specific organs to save lives.
2. Cadavers are primarily used to train doctors in anatomy and surgery, whereas organ donations help patients in need of transplants.
3. Organ donation is more organized, with national bodies overseeing the process, unlike cadaver donation, which lacks a centralized system.
4. Bodies used for organ donation typically cannot be used as cadavers.

What are the reasons for the shortage of donated cadavers in India?

1. Lack of Awareness: Many people are unaware of body donation procedures. There is no national body to track whole-body donations, making it harder for people to donate.
2. Low Donation Rates: AIIMS Delhi meets its demand with 70 cadavers in two years, but Safdarjung Hospital and Vardhaman Mahavir Medical College (VMMC) received only 24 in five years, despite the government guideline requiring one cadaver for every 10 students. VMMC has 150 students per batch, but cadaver donations fall far short.
3. Eligibility and Acceptance Issues: Bodies of individuals with infectious diseases like HIV or tuberculosis are not accepted. Additionally, medical colleges often refuse bodies from unnatural deaths, especially if they are part of a medico-legal case.
4. Rising Demand: The number of medical students is increasing, with Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Medical Sciences (ABVIMS) admitting 100 students annually but receiving only 18 cadavers from 2019.

How do medical colleges manage the shortage?

1. Medical colleges use unclaimed bodies under the state’s Anatomy Act.
2. These bodies are often from poor or marginalized communities, raising ethical concerns.
3. Other countries, like those in the developed world, require explicit consent for body donations.

Question for practice:

Examine the reasons for the shortage of donated cadavers in India and how medical colleges manage this shortage.