The kidney racket has a positive fall out in Madhya Pradesh.About a dozen senior citizens in the state capital have taken a pledge to donate their bodies, saying they want to go beyond criticising the perpetrators of the racket and address, in a small way, the gap between demand and supply.“I thought only criticism will not help. I should set an example myself,” S K Saraswat, general secretary of Madhya Pradesh Senior Citizens’ Federation, told The Indian Express.The 76-year-old former forest official says several other members of the organisation have also come forward to pledge their bodies for donation. On Friday, nine pledged their bodies and two more persons joined them on Saturday.Prompted by the good response, the senior citizens' body has organised a camp on Sunday to enroll names of eye and body donors. Government medical authorities will be present on the occasion.“The 22nd verse in the second chapter of the Gita supports body donation,” says Saraswat, adding “besides qualifying as the greatest donation, the act should also be regarded as one’s moral duty.”All of those who have pledged their bodies are retired government servants. The senior citizens quote figures released by the World Health Organisation to drive home the point that rackets like the one involving Dr Amit Kumar thrive because there is a huge, unrequited demand of body organs.Besides the genuine concern for thousands of people who die because of lack of availability of organs, the campaign was also prompted by the plight of old people, who are often left to fend for themselves by their families members.The MP organisation has also requested Union health minister Anbumani Ramadoss to implement the recommendation about free travel pass and health insurance facility to the family members of organ donors.“It may sound cruel, but the arrangement will improve the plight of the old people and the patients seeking organs,” Saraswat said. The organisation feels the potential freebies might encourage relatives to keep the old people with them. “Their status might change from a liability to an asset in the family.”
