Take heart, more options in Kozhikode

Kozhikode: With the health department giving a licence for heart transplants to two hospitals in Kozhikode and two more applying for the heart transplant licence, gradually the city is becoming the heart transplant hub of the Malabar region.

Experts feel that those who are ready to donate other organs of relatives should also be ready to donate the heart as an increasing number of patients have registered for the transplant.  The package offered by hospitals varies from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 15 lakh for a heart transplant.

The Metro International Cardiac Centre which conducted the first successful heart transplant early this month has already conducted two heart transplants. The Malabar Institute of Medical Sciences (MIMS) also joined the team conducting another heart transplant surgery on Saturday.

The expert team of Metro International Cardiac Centre including Medical director Dr Muhammed Shaloob, finance director PP Abdul Jaleel and Dr Abdusamad told media persons, after the surgery, that patients from North Kerala need not go elsewhere for a heart transplant.

At MIMS, the heart donated by a 17-year-old boy who died in a bike accident, was successfully transplanted by a team led by Chief Cardiac Surgeon Dr. Murali P Vettath.

The recipient of the heart is Hari Ram, a 54 year-old from Kozhikode who was diagnosed with a failing heart (Ischemic Cardio myopathy) 6 years ago, and was  undergoing treatment at the MIMS cardiology department for the past 3 years. The donor of the heart was 17-year-old Nijin Lal from Vadakara who met with a bike accident on October 30 and was declared brain-dead at noon on November 1.

“The Cardiac Transplant was the culmination of years of preparation by our team at MIMS. We wish to inform that Cardiac transplantation has now become a reality in this city. It is good news for patients who go to other distant cities for treatment,” Dr Murali P Vettath said.

“We are bit late in the arena as we received the necessary licences only now but we have patients waiting in queue”,  said Anwar, PRO, MIMS.

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