Four critically-ill patients received a new lease of life when the family of a 61-year-old man, who died in an accident, donated his heart, liver, and kidney. It marked the 51st organ donation this year. A mid-year review has shown that organ donations have risen considerably and doctors expect a record-breaking year if more families continue to donate the organs of their loved ones.
Giving consent
Transplant coordinator Vaibhav Bhosale said the deceased was a resident of Jaskhar village in Uran and worked at a private firm. The sole earning member of the family was severely injured when his two-wheeler rammed into another vehicle on July 24. He was rushed to MGM Hospital in Navi Mumbai, where he was declared brain dead on Friday. Mr. Bhosale said, “His son is still studying, while his four daughters are married. They discussed donating their father’s organs and one of the daughters was the first to give consent. Their mother also later agreed. The family said they wanted their loved one to stay alive somewhere.”
Last year witnessed 48 organ donations and there were 58 recorded in 2017. “The trend till the mid-year looks positive. This should be a record-breaking year, but the hard work has to continue,” said Dr. S.K. Mathur, president, Zonal Transplant Coordination Centre. “This is a small milestone. The aim has to be to wipe out the waiting lists of patients seeking organs.”
Role of media
Dr. Mathur said awareness of organ donation has to be spread at the grass-root level. He said, “Regional language media can make a lot of difference in spreading the message in villages.”
