The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have profoundly influenced organ donation and transplantation through a global framework, particularly SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being. This goal emphasizes ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all ages. It prioritizes maintaining a positive health status, reducing mortality rates, and enhancing health outcomes. By ensuring access to affordable surgical procedures, SDG 3 has contributed to universal health coverage, narrowing the gap between privileged and underprivileged populations. Increased investments in health systems worldwide have been crucial in providing risk protection and building resilience against health threats. (1)

SDG 4: Quality Education also plays a significant role in the realm of organ donation. By promoting inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning opportunities, public awareness campaigns and knowledge dissemination about organ donation have helped overcome cultural and religious barriers. It emphasizes the importance of building a skilled workforce for organ procurement, transplantation surgery, and post-transplant care to provide standardized and high-quality services.(2)

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth is another critical factor, promoting consistent, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth. In 2023, global economic growth increased by 2.3%, which, coupled with sustainable resource management, has made healthcare systems more effective. Cost-effective solutions, such as organ transplant, offer a viable alternative to expensive chronic treatments like dialysis, which consumes significant resources.

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities addresses the challenge of socioeconomic disparities, ensuring equitable access and fair allocation of resources. The Transplantation of Human Organ Act (THOA) and SDG 10 work towards compliance regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, religious beliefs, and economic status. By implementing strict measures, these frameworks aim to prevent trafficking in human organs, and ensure the safety of vulnerable individuals.

SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions promotes inclusive societies, access to justice, and effective institutions. It addresses ethical concerns in organ donation, emphasizing the conscience of invasion, consent without coercion and clinical evidence of death.(3)

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals emphasizes the importance of global collaboration in organ donation systems. Sharing data, skills, and resources has increased capacity and availability. Public education campaigns help dispel misconceptions and promote consent within families. Multi-stakeholder partnerships, including public, public-private, and civil society-based collaborations, enhance donation and funding opportunities, contributing to a more extensive outreach for sustainable development in organ transplantation.

"If we are prepared to receive a transplant should we need one, then we should be ready to give" - The World Health Organisation on Transplantation of human cells, tissues and organs.

References:

1. https://sdghealthindia-mohfw.in/indicator-framework

2. Nayak VC, Nayak S. An empirical investigation on the impact of attitudes towards organ donation in India. F1000Res. 2023 Jun 5;12:463. doi: 10.12688/f1000research.131652.2. PMID: 37405233; PMCID: PMC10317467.

3.https://notto.mohfw.gov.in/WriteReadData/Portal/News/791_1_GUIDELINES_04_oct_2021__Approved_.pdf