Tamil Nadu, the acknowledged leader of cadaver transplant programme in the country, manages to find inspiration from patients to mark new milestones every year.
In 2013, the programme bettered it’s own past record substantially, establishing stronger networks and facilitating more cadaver transplant surgeries than ever before.
In fact, there has been a 55 per cent increase in the number of deceased donors this year, compared to 2012.
In 2012, there were 83 donors, while this year, the number climbed to 129 donors, benefiting 385 patients.
While the initial momentum for the programme, which began in September 2008, came following the cadaveric donation from young Hitendran’s family, and with a slew of government orders to back it, sustaining pace has been the key. “Many new hospitals are enthusiastic to get more organs to help patients,” J. Amalorpavanathan, convener, State Cadaver Transplant Programme, says.
“The number of donors this year amounts to 1.8 per million population per year for the State. This is estimated to be more than 15 times this ratio for the rest of India,” he adds.
Other reasons for the success are the continuance of government support and complete transparency of operations, according to him.
“Tamil Nadu has done very well; but, a lot more needs to be done. Today, there are more recipient hospitals than contributing ones, and we need to increase the latter. The potential is much more than what we have today, we have the will and the system,” says Sunil Shroff of MOHAN Foundation.
