Saving Lives Together: ROTTO Guwahati’s Organ Donation Month and 15th Indian Organ Donation Day

Organ Donation Month
&
15th Indian Organ Donation Day Activities

Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (ROTTO), Guwahati.

Introduction

The Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (ROTTO), Guwahati, spearheaded an extensive Intensified IEC Campaign under the banner ‘Angdaan – Jeevan Sanjeevani Abhiyaan’ from 1st July to 3rd August 2025. This period encompassed Organ Donation Month (July) and culminated in the celebration of the 15th Indian Organ Donation Day on 3rd August 2025. The campaign aimed to enhance public awareness, dispel myths, encourage pledging for organ donation, and celebrate the generosity of donors and their families. The campaign was rolled out successfully under the support and guidance of Dr. Siddharth Singh, IAS, Commissioner &Secretary to the Govt. of Assam, Medical Education & Research Department; Dr.(Prof) A.C Baishya, Principal cum Chief Superintendent, GMCH; Dr. Abhijit Sarma, Superintendent GMCH cum Nodal Officer, ROTTO, Guwahati ; Dr. P.K Das, Addl. Superintendent , GMCH and Dr. Ujjal Kumar Sarma, Deputy Superintendent, GMCH.

1. Public Awareness Campaigns

LED Display Boards: Organ donation messages displayed prominently at Guwahati Medical College Hospital (GMCH) and private hospitals.
Banners: Installed at GMCH and other hospitals to reinforce the message visually.
Radio Jingles: 40-second awareness messages aired 10 times daily on 93.5 RED FM from 15th July to 3rd August.

2. Outreach & Engagement

Awareness at GMCH OPD (16th July 2025): Direct interaction with patients and attendants to explain brain stem death, organ donation procedures, and debunk misconceptions.
Fourth Cadaveric Donation (20th July 2025): Tribute to Late Shri Hemonta Singh (18 years) from Nagaon, whose kidneys were donated, saving two lives.
On 21st July, the District Commissioner of Nagaon attended his funeral, honouring the donor and inspiring others.

3. Media & Government Engagement

Press & Social Media Coverage: Widespread reporting in newspapers, Facebook posts by the Honourable CM of Assam and television coverage.
Doordarshan Awareness Talk show: On organ donation and alleviation of the myths associated. Participated by Dr. Kanakeswar Bhuyan, HOD, Dept. of Surgery, GMCH & Director, ROTTO.

4. Collaborative Awareness Events

Hospital Awareness Programme (25th July): Organised at NF Railway Hospital, Maligaon by Swagat Super Speciality Hospital and Surgical Institute, with ROTTO participation.
CME on ‘Issues and Challenges in Deceased Organ Transplantation’ (26th July): Held at CN Centre Auditorium, Guwahati, in collaboration with the Indian Society of Critical Care Medicine. Sessions covered deceased renal transplantation, BSD declaration procedures, ICU management of BSD patients, legal & ethical aspects, and swap transplantation, followed by a panel discussion on ‘Organ Transplant – Challenges and Roadmap’.

5. Donor Family Felicitations

On 29th July, ROTTO honoured the family of Late Parag Gogoi for their invaluable contribution, reinforcing gratitude and awareness.

6. Street Plays (31st July – 3rd August)

Street plays conducted in 10 prominent city locations focusing on organ donation awareness, gender disparity issues, and myth-busting. Public address (miking) was also done on-site.

7. Recognition

Best Transplant Coordinator Award: Shri Uditya Boruah of ROTTO, GMCH received this award from the Union Health Minister, Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda, on 2nd August 2025 in New Delhi.

8. Walkathon (2nd August 2025)

Held at GMCH premises with participation from medical fraternity, students, and hospital staff. The walkathon included placards, banners, and slogans to promote organ donation.

9. Indian Organ Donation Day (3rd August 2025)

Print Media Ads: Published in 7 Assamese and English newspapers.
TV & Radio: L-Band ads on Doordarshan, news scrolls on Prag News and News Live, and a 1-hour talk show on RED FM.
Opinion Article: Written by the Director of ROTTO, published in the Assam Tribune.
5 RED FM Awareness Talk show – On organ donation and alleviation of the myths associated. Participated by Dr. Kanakeswar Bhuyan, HOD, Dept. of Surgery, GMCH & Director, ROTTO.
Social Media: Continuous engagement through ROTTO’s webpage, Facebook, Instagram, and X (Twitter).

Impact

The campaign successfully increased public dialogue on deceased organ donation, addressed myths, enhanced visibility of ROTTO’s work, and honoured donor families. It brought together government, medical professionals, and the public in a unified effort. It is to be mentioned that a cadaveric transplant took place during this month of July (20th) and the total pledging increased up to 1760 nos towards the end of the month.

Conclusion

The Organ Donation Month (July’25) and 15th Indian Organ Donation Day celebrations by ROTTO, Guwahati exemplified a comprehensive, multi-sectoral approach to promoting organ donation in Assam and the North-East. By integrating media outreach, educational events, donor family recognition, and active participation from various stakeholders, the campaign has contributed significantly to fostering a culture of voluntary organ donation.