MEDIA CAN PLAY CRUCIAL ROLE IN ORGAN DONATION SAYS ROTARIAN LAL GOEL
by Prashant Kapadia/NHN
Agra, August , 2025 – Rotarian Lal Goel, Founder and Charter President of Rotary Club of Organ Donation International and Chairman of Organ Donation India Foundation & GYAN, emphasised the vital role media can play in promoting organ donation awareness during a keynote address at Dainik Jagran’s Organ Donation Awareness Program.
The program was held at the offices of Dainik Jagran, India’s leading newspaper, in Agra, where Rotarian Lal Goel addressed questions from the publication’s editorial team.
Critical Infrastructure Gap
Rotarian Lal Goel highlighted the urgent need to establish more Organ Retrieval Centres across India, noting that only approximately 15% of revenue districts currently have such facilities. This shortage contributes to a devastating statistic: more than 500,000 people die annually in India due to organ shortages.
Religious Perspectives Support Donation
Addressing common misconceptions, Rotarian Lal Goel firmly stated that no religion opposes organ donation. He referenced the Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 2:22), where Lord Krishna explains: “As a person puts on new garments, giving up old ones, similarly, the soul accepts new material bodies, giving up the old and useless ones.”
“We never burn or bury our old garments—we donate them to those in need,” he explained, drawing a parallel to organ donation as an act of compassion.
Stark International Comparisons
Rotarian Lal Goel presented sobering statistics comparing mortality rates between India and the United States, both of which follow opt-in organ donation systems. While 13 people die daily in the U.S. due to organ shortages, India loses more than 1,500 lives daily—despite the U.S. having approximately one-fourth of India’s population.
Call to Action for Media
In his conclusion, Rotarian Lal Goel stressed three key areas where the media can make a significant impact:
- Changing public mindset through consistent, factual reporting on organ donation
- Promoting government accountability in healthcare infrastructure development
- Creating widespread awareness through effective communication strategies
The event underscored the critical need for collaborative efforts between media, healthcare institutions, and civil society organisations to address India’s organ shortage crisis and save more lives through increased donation awareness.
Rotarian Lal Goel was received and felicitated by the General Manager and the editorial team at the Media office.