In Mumbai, the Zonal Transplant Coordination Committee has not been able to increase the number of donors
In Mumbai, the Zonal Transplant Coordination Committee has not been able to increase the number of donors
MUMBAI: An overdose of medicine shrunk both kidneys of Versova resident Flavian Kandhari, when he was 25. Doctors advised an immediate cadaver transplant. Six years later, he is yet to get a donor.
He survives on dialysis, thrice a week. “It has drained me of even the last wish to survive and my family’s resources,” said Kandhari.
His registration with the Zonal Transplant Co-ordination Centre (ZTCC) for the last two years has yielded nothing. The ZTCC was authorised by the Maharashtra state government in December 2000 to coordinate between public and private hospitals and relatives of those who came forward for cadaver donations.
The number of member hospitals in ZTCC is now 21, up from 16 four years ago but that’s done little to increase the number of donors. Over a 1000 people in Mumbai need kidney transplants.
Some have waited for five years; many have died waiting.
Doctors say the scenario will only worsen: at least 300 new patients are added to the list every year. The ZTCC says its member hospitals have done little or nothing to increase the donors. Each hospital has a team that tries to convince relatives to donate organs once a patient is declared ‘brain dead’.
“Half the hospitals do not have this committee,” said a government officer who requested anonymity. Also, it is difficult to accept the fact that there are not many brain deaths. About five to 10 % of ICU deaths are of brain dead people, said the official. In 2007, there were roughly 12 cadaver donations.
“Cooperation from both public and private hospitals is pathetic,” said Dr Vatsula Trivedi, general secretary of ZTCC. In 2006, there were 16 donations of which about half were voluntary and the hospitals had no role to play, she added.
Even a private hospital like the Nanavati has not reported a single brain dead case in the last five years. Medical superintendent, Dr Ashok Hatolkar says, “Relatives take so much time to agree that the organs are no longer fit to be transplanted.”
Another private hospital, Breach Candy hospital has made no organ donation for a decade. CEO General Vijay Krishna said the hospital has not retrieved any organs lately. “But the families of the few brain-dead cases weren’t keen to donate,” he said.
He says organ donation is still a matter of taboo.
The city’s only state-run JJ hospital that treats many trauma cases has also failed to donate organs or report any brain dead cases. Dean, Dr Pravin Shingare said, “We are trying our best but families do not agree most of the times.”
d_sumitra@dnaindia.net
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}