Actor Irrfan Khan launches 'More to Give' campaign by Fortis to encourage organ donation

New Delhi-NCR, July 26 (ANI): Fortis Healthcare launched 'More to Give' campaign on the occasion of Kargil Diwas on July 26. The nationwide campaign is aimed at sensitizing people on the concept of organ donation as well as encouraging them to pledge their organs in an effort to save precious lives and positively impact the well-being of the nation. Campaign brand ambassador Irrfan Khan launched the campaign with Mr. Malvinder Mohan Singh, Executive Chairman, Fortis Healthcare, Mr. Bhavdeep Singh, CEO, Fortis Healthcare and Dr. Avnish Seth, Director, Fortis Organ Retrieval & Transplant, Fortis Healthcare. This was followed with a panel discussion on a television channel. Speaking passionately for the cause, Mr. Malvinder Mohan Singh, Executive Chairman, Fortis Healthcare, said, "The 'More to Give' campaign is critical for a country like ours as very little is known about organ donation and the many lives it can save. We are seeking a cultural change that will elevate the cause of organ donation and position it as one of the greatest self-less acts by an individual, that could give a fresh lease of life to a number of terminally ill patients. A gracious gift to make, even in ones passing. The objective of this campaign is to create widespread awareness and encourage more and more people to register as organ donors as each one of us has the power to give and save lives." Campaign Ambassador Irrfan Khan said, "On Kargil Divas, we salute the spirit of all the countrymen who have fought and are fighting for our nation without caring for their lives. I am proud to be associated with the 'More to Give' organ donation initiative as it encourages people to support many more lives and stay alive in many generations to come. I urge all fellow Indians to support the cause and pledge to donate their organs." Mr. Bhavdeep Singh, CEO, Fortis Healthcare shared that, "The demand for organ transplant has greatly increased over the years due to higher instances of organ failure in patients on the one hand and improvement in transplant outcomes on the other. However there is a deep chasm between demand and supply due to lack of knowledge and priority given to it. We believe this campaign will touch people's hearts, and prove to be a game changer for organ donation in India." Dr. Avnish Seth, Director, Fortis Organ Retrieval & Transplant, Fortis Healthcare shared that, "We are presently faced with serious organ shortage with patients dying while waiting for transplants. For instance, only 15000 kidney transplants are carried out against the demand of nearly 2, 20,000 and only 2000 liver transplants are carried out in India whereas over 100,000 patients die due to fatal liver diseases. This unique campaign aims to take the lead to further the cause of organ donation with public and stakeholder support." The cause of organ donation does not enjoy a prominent place in the minds of Indians. Each year thousands of people die while waiting for a transplant, because no suitable donor can be found in time for them. The Fortis 'More to Give' campaign aims to aims to address the existing negative perceptions and a general lack of actionable concerns that are the biggest challenges in the way of increasing donor numbers, It will activate the nation's conscience by sharing stories of disabled war veterans who have actually pledged to donate organs. By enlisting war veterans into the cause of organ donation and making them the ambassadors for this cause, the campaign will motivate more citizens to register for organ donation. The campaign will spread the message is that if war veterans can give, why not each one of us? (ANI)