Organs of brain-dead woman help save lives of four people: Delhi hospital
New Delhi, May 28
The family of a 43-year-old brain-dead woman donated her organs helping save the lives of four people, according to the Delhi hospital where she was admitted.
Her liver was transplanted into a 58-year-old man and a kidney into another patient at the Sir Ganga Ram Hospital. The remaining organs were sent to other hospitals of Delhi-NCR, according to a statement from Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.
The woman who was hypertensive suddenly started vomiting and experienced severe headache and was brought to the emergency department of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital on May 20.
During the course of admission, her condition worsened and further tests revealed that she had severe brain haemorrhage. In spite of all efforts for resuscitation, she was declared brain-dead, the hospital said.
The woman was coronavirus negative.
“…she was the only sister amongst seven siblings and has left behind a grieving 21-year-old son and husband. After proper counselling, the family was keen to donate her organs and keep her memories alive,” the hospital said.
According to Dr Naimish N Mehta, Co-Chairman, Department of Surgical Gastroenterology and Liver Transplantation, at the hospital, “There is a huge waiting list for cadaver organs, and with COVID-19 pandemic, organ donation rate has reduced remarkably across the country. Currently, there are 179 patients waiting for cadaver liver and 484 patients waiting for cadaver kidney transplantation at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.” Organ donation rate in India varies from 0.65 to 1 per million population (pmp) while it is up to 35 pmp in Spain and 26 pmp in the USA, he said.
Organs were retrieved by a team of doctors led by Dr Mehta. Liver was transplanted in a 58-year-old man, who was waiting on the list for over two years and had almost given up hope of finding an organ for his survival.
Other organs retrieved were two kidneys and heart. One kidney was transplanted at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital and the remaining organs were sent to other hospitals of Delhi-NCR, it said.
Mehta said life-saving surgeries like transplantation are performed in separate non-Covid wings with “due diligence and strict infection control”, thereby preventing any chance of cross infection.
Dr D S Rana, Chairman, Board of Management, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, said “We have created a separate portal for those wish to pledge their organs after their death.” — PTI
