System inadequacies, lack of infrastructure and manpower shortage swamping Government Medical College Hospitals have had doctors and health officials running from pillar to post to ensure that Mrithasanjeevani, the State government’s prestigious deceased donor organ donation programme, does not lose steam. And this, at a time, when the government was intent on launching cadaver liver transplant programme in government MCHs.
“Tremendous amount of coordination and teamwork are required from doctors, paramedical staff and hospital administration to make deceased organ donation happen. But systemic inadequacies and lack of incentives seems to have affected the enthusiasm of everyone and the programme is threatening to flag,” a senior Health official said.
Mrithasanjeevani got off to a flying start in the State two years ago and so far nearly 80 deceased donor organ donations have taken place. Yet, most Government MCHs are now struggling to perform organ retrieval and transplants alongside the regular schedule because of acute staff shortage and heavy workload.
“Organ donation cannot happen unless the brain-dead patient is maintained in excellent haemo-dynamic condition in the ICUs. A sudden brain death and subsequent organ retrieval process exert tremendous strain on the hospital system because it then has to devote most of its manpower and facilities to ensure that the event goes smoothly,” a senior MCH doctor pointed out.
“Our MCHs are just not equipped to manage this situation alongside its routine workload. A brain death and organ donation/transplant throw the regular theatre schedule haywire as some 30 or more elective surgeries posted for the day get postponed, creating huge backlogs and putting patients to difficulties. We do not have enough nursing staff or anaesthesiologists to manage this additional workload,” he added.
Even though an attempt had been made to engage more anaesthesiologists on contract basis for MCHs recently, none turned up for the interview.
A parallel, structured system with separate transplant teams of surgeons and nurses will have to be created, at least on a zonal basis, for the deceased organ transplant programme to run smoothly, it is pointed out.
