Title of the practice:
Body donation is the supreme donation
Aim:
The basic aim of this drive is to help relatives of body donor to fulfil the last wish of their dear one after death.
Objectives of the Practice:
- To provide timely help to fetch the body in time and embalming is done to preserve it for long time.
- To provide cadavers for dissection purpose and for Cadaveric workshop.
- To provide specimens for Museum in Anatomy department and for research purpose.
The Context:
After blood and organ donation, beneficiaries are limited. But after body donation, a generation of the medical team is created who will serve humankind for their whole life.
In medical college, bodies are required for dissection purpose for first-year medical students, for specimens and for hands-on cadaveric workshops. Making a wish for body donation after death and to get it done by relatives is an important part of body donation program. Any person above the age of 18 years irrespective of sex, religion or caste, can do body donation at any time as per Bombay Anatomy act. Department of Anatomy, Dr Vasantrao Pawar Medical College, Hospital and Research Centre has started body donation program in the year 1991. First body donation was done on 22 September 1992. This drive is still going on till date and the number is increasing day by day.
The Practice:
The motivation of public for body donation is the first step in body donation awareness program. We were given various lectures on Body donation and also attended various programs where we distributed Body donation forms.
For registration, a donor has to fill an application form duly signed by all relatives along with passport size photo and necessary address proof. Acknowledgement is given by HOD of Anatomy Department to the donor along with Identity card of registration.
After death, cadaveric putrefaction starts within 6 – 8 hours. So we asked the relatives of Donors to call us immediately so we can reach them to collect Corpus. We provide free ambulance service to relatives of body donor for 24 hours for seven days. Death certificate of diseased is a must for body donation in the format of form no. 4A. At appropriate time, body embalming is done.
Relatives are advised to submit the receipt in the regional office of Nashik Municipal Corporation office as early as possible to get the death certificate. Relatives of all body donors’ are honoured with a certificate on Samaj din by our honourable Sarchitnis Madam of Nashik district Maratha Vidhya Prasarak. Death due to accident, the last stage of cancer, the body on which post-mortem is done and death due to contagious diseases are refused because of medico-legal reason and to prevent the spread of disease.
Evidence of Success:
Last 5 years record of body donation
| Year | Body donation registration | Body donation |
| 2015 – 2016 | 219 | 26 |
| 2016 – 2017 | 826 | 28 |
| 2017 – 2018 | 182 | 40 |
| 2018 – 2019 | 219 | 42 |
| 2019 – 2020 | 130 | 25 |