In a significant move to enhance transparency and streamline tissue and cornea transplant processes, the Central Government has instructed all states to mandate the registration and linkage of eye banks and hospitals performing these procedures with the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO). The directive aims to centralise data collection and improve accountability within the system.
Hospitals and eye banks will now be required to provide comprehensive data, including the number of patients on waiting lists for tissue and cornea transplants, the volume of donations and transplants conducted, and the inventory of tissues and corneas stored or utilised.
A senior official highlighted that this initiative mirrors the existing centralised platform for organ transplants like liver and kidney, which provides accessible waiting lists. Under the new directive, similar lists for cornea transplants will be made available, ensuring greater transparency and efficient allocation of resources.
Centralised Registry for Cornea Transplants
In a letter to all states and Union Territories, NOTTO Director Dr Anil Kumar emphasised the importance of maintaining a centralised registry for cornea donation, retrieval, and distribution.
“The appropriate authority of each state should collect data on tissue/cornea donation and transplantation from all registered centres and furnish the same to NOTTO every month,” Dr Kumar wrote.
The necessity for this system was underscored during a meeting chaired by the Director General of Health Services on May 14. The Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act, 1994 (THOTA), mandates the Central Government to maintain a national registry for organ and tissue donors and recipients, making this step a crucial enhancement to existing protocols.
Mandatory Reporting Requirements
Under the directive, all tissue transplant centres, including those handling cornea transplants, and eye banks registered with state authorities, must now align with NOTTO’s national registry. The data to be shared includes:
- Patient Waiting Lists: Information on individuals awaiting tissue and cornea transplants.
- Donations and Transplants: Records of donations received and transplants performed.
- Inventory Updates: Details of tissue and cornea storage and usage.
The letter also flagged concerns over non-performing eye banks, noting that several registered entities are failing to meet performance benchmarks. As per the THOTA rules of 2014, each registered eye bank is expected to collect a minimum of 500 corneas over a five-year period.
“State authorities are advised to examine annual data on eye/cornea collection by registered banks. Under-performing banks may receive warning notices, and their renewal applications may face rejection if performance standards are not met,” the letter stated.
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Monitoring and Accountability
To ensure compliance, eye banks will be required to submit details of their associated or feeder cornea donation and retrieval centres to state authorities. These details must also be shared with NOTTO.
Further, eye banks must take responsibility for maintaining standards across their associated centres, as outlined under THOTA, 1994. The directive also clarifies that while cornea retrieval itself does not require separate registration, the associated centres must adhere to quality standards under the supervision of the eye banks.
Call for Prompt Action
The Centre has urged states to act swiftly on these instructions.
“We request your prompt action and submission of an action-taken report to the office of the Director NOTTO,” the letter stated.
This move is expected to address inefficiencies in the donation and transplantation ecosystem, ensuring better utilisation of resources and timely support for patients in need. By streamlining processes and holding institutions accountable, the government aims to increase donation rates, reduce waiting times, and enhance the overall efficiency of the transplant network.
With these measures, the government has taken a decisive step towards strengthening the infrastructure for tissue and cornea transplants, ensuring that the life-changing potential of such procedures reaches more individuals in need.
