Lack of awareness holds back skin donation even as demand rises: Doctors

Though organ donation has been receiving much support from people with the number of donations going up every year, skin donation is still lagging behind. In 2014, Sion Skin Bank recorded 81 donations. It registered almost an identical figure the next year, with 82 donations.

“We have been receiving donation around the same number. It normally stays around 90 but we need more people to donate. Considering the need of burns patients, the demand is 300 donations every year,” said Dr Meena Kumar, the former head of surgery of the hospital who also headed the skin bank.

So far, the skin bank has received 1,000 donations that make 62 donations every year on an average since its inception in 2000.

“More awareness needs to be spread among people as done in other organ donations. The need is more, however, the supply remains almost the same with marginal growth,” said Dr Madhuri Anant Gore from the surgery department of the hospital.

“When a patient gets burned, he/she becomes vulnerable to infections. But through skin drafting, we can save the lives of several burn patients. Unlike in other organ donations, it can be preserved for longer period like upto 6 months,” said Dr Dhimant Goleria, a plastic surgeon from a city hospital.

Recently, 22-year-old Sumita Aggarwal (name changed), suffered 40 per cent burn in a fire outbreak in her house when she was asleep. Though she was rescued from the fire, she suffered burns.

Now Sumita is undergoing skin grafting from donated skin, which has helped in improving her health condition.

Doctors said due to lack of awareness among the public, many donors still refuse to donate.

“People think that donation would lead to lead to deformation of the bodies but in reality, doctor takes the skin from hidden parts of bodies. In the process, doctors remove epidermis and superficial layer of dermis from thighs and back of the donor,” said Dr Goleria.