Jaipur, Aug. 4 -- Rajasthan Governor Haribhau Bagde on Monday described organ donation as one of humanity's greatest acts of selflessness and called for a mass movement to dispel myths and fears surrounding it, saying that hesitation and misinformation remain the biggest obstacles to increasing organ donations in the country. Addressing an organ donation awareness programme at the Rajasthan University of Health Sciences (RUHS) on the occasion of Organ Donation Awareness Month and the 16th Indian Organ Donation Day, the Governor said organ donation should not be limited to an annual observance but transformed into a sustained public campaign. "The biggest barrier to organ donation is fear. People need to be educated and inspired to overcome misconceptions so that more lives can be saved," he said. Bagde expressed concern that despite India performing its first successful kidney transplant in December 1971 in Tamil Nadu, awareness about organ donation continues to remain inadequate. He also stressed the need to integrate health awareness with organ donation campaigns, urging people to adopt healthier eating habits and work towards building a drug-free society. Paying tribute to organ donors who have given others a new lease of life, the Governor administered an organ donation pledge to participants and highlighted the pressing need to increase donations. He said millions of people in India die every year because they fail to receive life-saving organ transplants, with kidneys, liver, heart and lungs remaining the most sought-after organs. According to the Governor, nearly 0.5 million people lose their lives annually due to the unavailability of organs for transplantation. While India has developed adequate transplant facilities, the number of organ donors remains far below the requirement, he said, calling for the expansion of organ donation services across Rajasthan and better availability of organ transplant equipment in hospitals. Earlier, RUHS Vice-Chancellor Prof. Pramod Yeole and Rajasthan Health Sciences College Principal Dr Mohnish Grover highlighted the importance of organ donation and the objectives of the awareness programme. The Governor also honoured doctors for their contribution to promoting organ donation and felicitated students who excelled in competition....