Architect’s kin donate her organs

The 45-year-old was declared brain-dead on Wednesday

January 04, 2019 02:00 am | Updated 02:00 am IST - New Delhi

Harvested organ being transported by Fortis Hospital medical staff. 
Special Arrangement

Harvested organ being transported by Fortis Hospital medical staff. Special Arrangement

The family of Archana Gupta, who died on Wednesday after sustaining a gunshot wound on New Year’s Eve, has donated her organs, a release issued by a hospital stated on Thursday.

The 45-year-old architect was declared brain-dead on Wednesday at Fortis Hospital in Vasant Kunj. Archana was injured after a former Janata Dal (United) MLA allegedly fired celebratory shots in the air during a party at his farmhouse in Fatehpur Beri.

“The gunshot victim was brought to the emergency wing of Fortis Flt. Lt. Rajan Dhall Hospital at 12.18 a.m. on New Year [Tuesday] in a critical condition. She was declared brain dead by doctors on Wednesday. Her family, displaying enormous strength and grit in their hour of grief, decided to donate her kidneys,” said a release issued by the hospital on Thursday.

A no-objection certificate was obtained from the police since this is a medico-legal case.

The hospital authorities added, “Till Tuesday, the patient continued to be critical and was on life support. Despite best efforts by doctors, she could not be revived and was declared brain dead.”

“After her death, the proposal to donate her organs was discussed with the family. Post consultation, they agreed to donate her kidneys. The NOTTO [National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation] states that once a patient is declared brain dead, the hospital can approach the family for organ donation,” said hospital director Mangla Dembi.

NOTTO protocol states that a hospital has to inform a family about possible organ donation. Following this, the government decides which organ is to be sent to which hospital and specific locations based on a list of priority recipients. In this case, one of Archana’s kidneys was sent to Apollo Hospital and the other to Fortis in Vasant Kunj, said the hospital.

Fortis Organ Retrieval and Transplant (FORT) director Avnish Seth said there is an urgent need to streamline the process of organ donation throughout the country.

“It is extremely motivating to see a gradual shift in public perception on the issue of organ donation in the country. As per available statistics, there were 570 donations following brain death cases in the country in 2015. These resulted in transplantation of 1,675 organs, including 1,007 kidneys, 510 livers, 110 hearts, 37 lungs, four pancreas and two small intestines. This is not a small number in a country where, till a decade ago, organ donation was synonymous with donation of a kidney or part of the liver from a living donor,” Dr. Seth added.

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