To encourage organ donation, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has announced that an annual award will be instituted in the name of a youth from Ganjam district whose organs were transplanted in six persons following his death in a road accident.
Mr. Patnaik made the announcement after parents of Suraj Sethi, father Babuli Sethi and mother Gitanjali, met him at the Lok Seva Bhavan here on Monday.
Suraj, a bachelor who was working in Surat, met with an accident on October 29. After struggling for about five to six days in hospital, he was declared brain dead on November 2.
Six organs transplanted
The parents of Suraj were contacted by a Surat-based non-government organisation. They decided to donate their son’s organs to save the lives of others. Accordingly, his heart, liver, two kidneys and both eyes were transplanted in six different persons.
While his heart was carried by plane to Fortis Hospital in Mumbai and transplanted into the body of a woman, his kidneys and liver were transplanted into three persons in Ahmedabad, and the two eyes given to two persons in Surat.
Appreciating the noble act of Suraj’s parents, the Chief Minister announced allotment of homestead land and a house under the Biju Pucca Ghar scheme for them. He also announced an assistance of ₹5 lakh from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund as recognition for their inspiring act.
The award to be instituted by the Odisha government will be given to persons and organisations working for promotion of organ donation in the State.
