A 17-year-old youth gave a new lease of life to five individuals who needed organ transplantation. Organ donation by families of brain-dead persons under the Jeevandaan programme of the State government is being reported more frequently than in the past and in this case the family of Mandal Harinath came forward on its own and gave its acceptance within half an hour.
Serious injuries to brainHarinath, a student of Sri Chaitanya Junior College at NAD Kotha Road in the city, met with an accident at Jodugullapalem in Sabbavaram mandal two days ago while riding a two-wheeler and suffered serious injuries to his brain and chest.
He was rushed to the King George Hospital and from there to Indus Hospital and his family members were told that he might not survive.
He was declared brain dead at the Indus Hospital and was shifted to the Manipal Hospital for organ harvesting. Harinath’s cousin D. Muralikrishna, an executive with a container shipping company, proposed to Harinath’s mother Pushpalatha, grandfather and other members that his organs could be donated to the needy instead of them going waste.
Ms. Pushpalatha, who lost her husband Srinivasa Rao, a businessman, in an accident when Harinath was three years old, was inconsolable at the loss of her elder son but pulled herself up to inform the Jeevandaan authorities about the family’s decision.
“Harinath was close to me, I have seen him growing up and unfortunately he collapsed in my arms as I was taking him to the hospital. We are aware of Jeevandaan and that it gives new lease of life to some. Unfortunately it happened to me (to see a close one meeting the fate). It was a great tragedy for me but now after the organs were harvested and sent to the needy my sorrow is gone. Now we have to perform the last rites on Sunday morning,” Mr. Muralkrishna said.
Harinath’s heart was sent by air to Chennai’s Fortis Hospital, liver to the Care Hospital here and a kidney each to the Manipal Hospital and Care Hospital while the corneas were collected by the Mohsin Eye Bank.
