Government hospital witnesses rare cadaver donation

It's a rare occasion when a government hospital witnesses a cadaver donation. But on Saturday, KEM hospital declared a 49-year-old woman as brain-dead after she had met with a road accident and, after consultations with her relatives, her organs were donated leading to four lives being saved.

The doctors declared the patient brain-dead after she had spent two days at KEM hospital. Her heart was then donated to a patient at Fortis hospital, her liver to one at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital (KDAH), and kidneys to a patient each at KEM hospital and Global hospital.

The trend of cadaver donations has always been irregular in the city. As per the Zonal Transplantation Co-ordination committee (ZTCC) in Mumbai, in 2012, there were 27 donations, while in 2013, there were 24. In 2014, the city saw 41 donations that benefited 107 people. In 2015, there were 44 donations that helped 114 people. In 2016, till May, there have been 22 cadaver donations.

Dr. Avinash Supe, dean, KEM hospital, said: "We had a case of cadaver donation at our hospital today. Shaila Shirgaonkar, a 49-year-old lady, donated her organs. She was admitted in our hospital two days ago after she met with a road accident and was later declared brain dead. She saved four lives by donating her organs."