Tamil Nadu's recent experience with the cadaver transplantation programme came in for commendation at a recent meeting of World Health Organisation (WHO) representatives in Geneva, where they discussed strategies for the 4D programme (Developing Donations from Deceased Donors).
Representatives of 14 nations along with WHO officials took part in the day long programme intended to prepare a blueprint for increasing the donations in all UN member nations.
India's representative at the meeting, Vatsala Trivedi, chairperson of the National Deceased Donor Transplantation Network, brought up the success of Tamil Nadu.
In an e-mail communication to J. Amalorpavanathan, co-ordinator, State Cadaver Transplantation Programme, Dr. Trivedi said: “During the discussions, I …cited Tamil Nadu's success. Till 2008 India was performing on an average 100 kidney transplantation from deceased donors (DD). Between October 2008 and December 2009, Tamil Nadu alone contributed more than 150 kidney transplants from the DD programme.
“The remarkable achievement would not have been possible without the government's support, that too with your health secretaries who could implement the programme so smoothly.”
Dr. Trivedi goes on to add that this was well-appreciated and set down as one of the key points in the blueprint prepared at the end of the meeting.
Part of the reason for the success of the Cadaver Transplantation Programme in Tamil Nadu, was the effort put in by the top health department officials, Dr. Amalorpavanathan said, during the inaugural of ‘Organ-o-Cultural 2010,' an inter-collegiate cultural competition organised by MOHAN Foundation.
Seven government orders were issued in quick succession to push ahead the programme, with focussed inputs by the Health secretary V.K. Subburaj and then Special Secretary PWC Davidar, he added. It was the government medical colleges – Madras Medical College and Stanley Medical College – that actually kicked off the programme.
Mr. Subburaj said the success of the State's experience in cadaver transplantation was thanks to a team of dedicated individuals working in synchronisation. He accorded part of the credit to Dr. Amalorpavanathan, and MOHAN Foundation, who had collaborated to appoint grief counsellors.
The Health Secretary later felicitated staff members of Madras Medical College and the Government General Hospital for their role in the Cadaver Transplantation Programme and donor families.
J. Mohanasundaram, Dean, Madras Medical College, explained the process of setting up a system in place for implementation of the programme, in order that it ran smoothly.
Prizes were given to the winners of different cultural contests organised for college students, during the valedictory. Actor R. Sivakumar, who gave away the prizes, also pledged to donate his organs on the occasion, according to Sunil Shroff of MOHAN Foundation.
