Context:

Recently, During the 77th World Health Assembly, member states approved a draft resolution to enhance the accessibility of organ transplantation, encompassing human cells and tissues.

More on the news: 

• At the 77th World Health Assembly, amendments to the “International Health Regulations 2005” were adopted based on 300 proposals from the 194 member-states. 
• These amendments are designed to enhance countries' capacity to anticipate and manage Public Health Emergencies of International Concern and Pandemic Emergencies.
• India played a key role in creating the Instrument aiming to ensure fairness in responding to Public Health Emergencies for developing countries.

• The draft resolution mandated the development of a global strategy to improve organ transplantation availability, including human cells and tissues, and present it for adoption in 2026. 
• The resolution also supported the establishment of World Donor Day to enhance public awareness and encourage organ donations.
• It called upon member states to align with the World Health Organization's (WHO) Guiding Principles on Human Cell, Tissue, and Organ Transplantation. 
• Additionally, it highlighted that limited access to transplantation therapies contributes to trafficking in persons for organ removal and trafficking in human organs. These practices violate human rights and pose significant public health risks.
• It also urged the director-general to form an expert committee, following the Regulations for Expert Advisory Panels and Committees, to assist the Secretariat in devising a global strategy and its implementation.

World Health Assembly

• The World Health Assembly serves as the governing body of the World Health Organization. 
• In this assembly, delegations from all WHO Member States gather to address a predetermined health agenda that the Executive Board sets.

Key Functions: 

• Its key roles include determining the organisation’s policies, selecting the Director-General, overseeing financial matters, and endorsing the proposed program budget.
• The World Health Assembly convenes annually in Geneva, Switzerland.

Organ Donation and Transplantation in India:

• Organ donation in India is regulated by the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act, 1994.
• National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) functions as the apex body for organ procurement, allotment, and distribution for transplant in India.
• According to data from the Union Health Ministry of India, organ donations rose to 16,041 in 2022 from 4,990 in 2013, highlighting the nation's historically low donation rates.
• Despite being one of the world’s largest transplant-performing nations (behind only the U.S and China), India lags behind Western nations in donation rates due to low public awareness, religious beliefs, and strict laws.
• In 2022, India’s donation rate was only 0.86 per million population (pmp), compared to Spain (46.1 pmp), the United States (31.9 pmp), and the United Kingdom (15.5 pmp).
• Tamil Nadu leads in organ donation, with an organ donation rate of 1.8 pmp.