Maharashtra’s Minister of Public Health and Family Welfare, Prakash Abitkar urged all officials to treat this campaign not just as an initiative but as a movement that can bring hope to thousands of patients
Maharashtra Health Minister Prakash Abitkar (above) directed the department to honour families who have donated organs on August 15
Maharashtra’s Minister of Public Health and Family Welfare, Prakash Abitkar, has announced a statewide drive promoting organ donation from August 3 to 15, 2025, officials said on Tuesday.
The campaign will be run as a people’s movement, aiming to boost organ donation rates in the state, they said.
Abitkar held a high-level state meeting in Mumbai and asked the officials to prepare for the drive, an official statement said.
The meeting was chaired by Health Minister Abitkar and Minister of State for Health Meghna Sakore-Bordikar, with key officials including Dr. Kadambari Balkawade (Commissioner of Health Services), Dr. Akash Shukla from KEM Hospital, and representatives from the medical education and health departments in attendance, it said.
Abitkar urged all officials to treat this campaign not just as an initiative but as a movement that can bring hope to thousands of patients.
He emphasised on changing public perception, addressing fears related to organ donation, and raising awareness on a large scale during the campaign.
Abitkar directed the department to honour families who have donated organs of brain-dead relatives on Independence Day (August 15) in every district.
The minister added that regular reviews and district-wise awareness drives will ensure Maharashtra becomes a leader in organ donation, the statement said.
Minister of State for Health Sakore-Bordikar echoed these sentiments, stressing the importance of informing the public about the life-saving impact of organ donation.
She called for joint efforts from both the public health and medical education departments to ensure success during the two-week campaign, the official statement said.
During the campaign, several awareness events will be organised by the Divisional Transplant Coordination Committees and on August 15, a felicitation ceremony will be held across all districts to honour donors' families and recipients who got a second chance at life thanks to organ donation, the statement said.
Also present at the meeting were officials from the Public Health and Medical Education departments, including Dr. Sunita Golhait (Deputy Director of Hospitals), Dr. Akash Shukla (KEM), Dr. Kailas Bawiskar (Deputy Director), and Dr. Phadnis (Assistant Director), along with regional transplant coordination officers via video conferencing, it said.
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