Thiruvananthapuram: Seven patients have received a new lease of life through the organs of a youth who died in a road accident near Angamaly, Ernakulam, on April 1. The heart, kidneys, liver, hands, pancreas and eyes of Arun Raj, 29, of Ambedkar colony, Vengoor Kara, Aluva, who was declared brain-dead following the accident, were donated to the patients undergoing treatment in hospitals in the state and in Chennai.
The accident happened at 5.30 p.m. on Sunday while Arun Raj along with a friend was going on a bike on the Vengoor -Nayathode airport road. A car hit their bike from behind. While the friend escaped with minor injuries, Arun Raj who was pillion-riding sustained grievous injuries. He was taken to Little Flower Hospital, Angamaly, and admitted to the ICU. He later suffered brain death.
Arun Raj’s friend spoke to his parents about organ donation.
“Let him live through others,” his father said while giving the consent to donate the organs. Soon, the hospital authorities contacted Kerala Network for Organ Sharing (KNOS). After examination, it was found that all his vital organs were fit for transplant. After getting consent from the family, KNOS found out the recipients in the seniority list. A patient is declared brain-dead through a fool- proof system without leaving any chance for apprehensions or doubts. In the presence of a government doctor, brain death was confirmed twice during the interval of six hours.
The heart being transported to Chennai.
After conducting apnea test twice when it confirmed that there was no chance of his revival, the doctors declared him brain-dead. The entire procedure was videographed. Since a matching recipient for the heart was not found in Kerala, it was given to an 18-year-old patient at the Fortis Malar Hospital in Chennai. The organ was donated in consultation with Tamil Nadu government’s organ transplant agency (TRANSTAN). A special green path was created for taking the harvested heart to the airport from where it was taken to Chennai by air. The ambulance carrying the harvested heart left at 12.15 noon with police escort for Nedumbassery airport. The heart was successfully transplanted in Manoj Kumar.
Since the matter involved two states, there were several issues to be sorted out. Health Minister Shailaja, health additional chief secretary Rajeev Sadananadan, Mrithasanjeevani state convenor and Trivandrum Medical College principal Dr Thomas Mathew and KNOS nodal officer Dr Noble Gracious worked as a team to make the organ donation a success. The organs were harvested by a team of specialists at the Little Flower Hospital.
In a statement, the hospital said Manoj Kumar, who is undergoing treatment at Fortis in Chennai received the heart, George Varghese, 60, of Pathanamthitta being treated in Amrita Hospital, Ernakulam, the liver, Jobis Davies, 32, of Kanjirapally (Kottayam Medical College) and Akhil Mohan of Ernakulam (Amrita Hospital) the kidneys. Two patients at the Little Flower Hospital got the corneas. Linka Selvi , 49, of Tamil Nadu being treated in Amrita Hospital received both the hands. The hospital said all patients who received the organs were doing well. The health minister shared the grief of the family members who consented to donate their loved one’s organs despite such a tragic loss.
