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Written By: Admin | Published : August 7, 2013 12:04 PM IST
It has been 16 years since seven odd hospitals in Mumbai were granted permission by the state health department to conduct heart and lung transplants. But not a single surgery has been done so far. In 2012, for the first time, the Hinduja Hospital conducted two lung transplants. But within three months the transplants were abruptly stopped.
In Maharashtra, the organ transplant programme started in 1997, authorised by the Human Organ Transplant Act, 1994. Major organs like kidney, liver, heart, lung, pancreas as also the eyes, even the skin of a brain dead person can be donated.
Since 1997 only 173 brain dead patients have donated their organs in Maharashtra. But there's a lack of a proper programme for the heart and lung transplants in the state.
When no medication can help revive the heart then a heart transplant is the only option. But a heart transplant is possible only after the family of a brain dead person gives its consent to donate the person's heart to carry out the procedure.
A lung transplant is required when the patient is in his/her final stage of lung disease like pulmonary fibrosis.
State health minister Suresh Shetty, told dna, 'Private hospitals need to take an initiative to start such a programme. We must create an awareness in the medical fraternity. It is necessary to start new zonal committees for transplantation in different parts of the state.'
The Zonal Transplantation Co-ordination Committee (ZTCC ) is a state body that makes cadaver organs available to those on its waiting list. Patients who need an organ have to register with the ZTCC.
'It is essential to establish a department that co-ordinates and runs this programme. Hopefully, some of the city hospital will start this transplant programme soon,' said Dr Gustad Davar, ZTCC president, 'For a family, it is not very easy to donate their loved one's heart, which is still beating. Also the surgery is very expensive. It costs more than Rs40 lakh. Those who can afford it, prefer to go abroad. They feel doctors there are more experienced.'
Dr Ajay Chouraciya, head of cardiology department, Nair Hospital, said there was a need to create awareness among people besides building good infrastructure.
He said the reason why families loathe to donate their brain dead relative's heart is because it is still beating even if he's dead. They wait in the hope that a miracle might happen. 'This could be the reason why Mumbai has not had a single heart transplant.'
In states like Tamil Nadu the programme is a success. According to Cadaver Transplant Programme, since 2008 Tamil Nadu has conducted 22 lung transplant surgeries and 57 heart transplant surgeries.
Content Source: https://dnasyndication.com/
