The Ballari Institute of Medical Sciences (BIMS) is facing a significant shortage of dead bodies required for teaching anatomy to medical students.
With the number of students increasing each year, the hospital struggles to provide the necessary number of bodies for educational purposes.
Ballari district is the first in the country for organising an organ donation campaign.
According to the Medical Council of India (MCI) guidelines, at least one cadaver is required for every 10 MBBS students for study and research purposes. However, the BIMS currently has only six cadavers available.
With 200 students admitted annually to the MBBS course, at least 20 cadavers are needed for the academic year, yet only six are available. This shortfall of 14 cadavers is hindering in-depth study and research.
Senior doctors and professors of the BIMS said anatomy is a crucial subject for MBBS students, involving detailed training on the human body and its parts. A lack of cadavers affects the quality of education and training, which is why both the government and society need to take the matter seriously.
"We urge more people to pledge to donate their bodies for medical education. Records provided by the government show that only five cadavers have been made available at the BIMS in the last three years, one in 2022, two in 2023, and two in 2024. The BIMS is one of the medical institutions in the state facing a severe shortage of cadavers, which is facing a shortage of 15 cadavers,” he added.
Despite the challenges in cadaver availability, Ballari has been a leader in organ donation in India. Over 7,839 citizens from the region have pledged to donate various organs.
BIMS doctors stress the importance of a similar commitment to body donation for the benefit of medical students and education.
To address the growing demand, there is a need for a greater awareness campaign on body donation within the community, they add.
