The Defence Minister Shri AK Antony has commended the Armed Forces for leading the way in organ donation. Felicitating families of organ donors at a function here today, Shri Antony said that the men in uniform have also set example in organ donation, even in medico – legal cases. He lauded the medical fraternity for its efforts to treat patients suffering from liver related diseases and the research in this field. Shri Antony said that organ donation is crucial to the development of a vibrant transplant programme in our country.
Shri Antony was speaking after inaugurating the 16th Annual Conference of the Indian National Association for Study of Liver (INASL), being organized this year by the Army Medical Corps. The three daylong conference is witnessing the coming together of the top doctors specializing in hepatic disorders and research, and organ transplants. After the welcome address by the eminent liver specialist Dr YK Chawla, who is also the President of the INASL, the Director General of the Armed Forces Medical Services, Lt Gen Yogendra Singh addressed the gathering.
On the occasion, a booklet containing vital information on the brain stem death and organ donation was released by Lt Gen S Mukherjee, the Director General of Medical Services of the Army.
It may be recalled that the Army Medical Corps is doing yeoman service in the field of organ donation through Army Organ Retrieval and Transplant Organisation (AORTA). Just into its second year of being, AORTA’s services have benefited several patients in need of organs, not only in the armed forces but also civilians. In some cases the organs from a single donor have given a new lease to life to five or more organ recipients. It has also undertaken the retrieval of organs from the donors who were involved in medico legal cases. In such cases it has received the cooperation of the Delhi Police, police from other states such as Uttar Pradesh and doctors from the forensic department of Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi. This organization which operates from Army Hospital (R&R) has been guided by its Commandant, Maj Gen OP Mathew and Brig RP Choubey, Head of Gastrointestinal Surgery at that hospital.
Director AORTA, Col AK Seth and his team introduced the families of the donors, who were felicitated by Shri AK Antony. Lt Col (Mrs) Pradhi Nambiar, the coordinator of this hugely successful programme, who is instrumental in explaining to the kin of the patients various aspects of organ donation, was also present. Armymen and personnel of the three forces have led the way in organ donation in the country, setting example by their service to humanity.
Leading the way, an army officer Maj Sidharth Malik donated the organs of his little 18 month old son Shaurya Malik who fell off the balcony accidentally in December 2006. His eyes gave sight to two, while his kidneys saved the life of a 31 year old man.
Major S.K. Singh of the Artillery Regiment agreed to donate his father's liver when doctors at the Army Research and Referral Hospital here pronounced him brain dead. The retired schoolteacher P.N. Singh (72) was brought here on January 9 last year and treated for two days for brain hemorrhage and a massive stroke. It was transplanted successfully on a 45-year-old Hyderabad-based man suffering from an end stage liver ailment. His cornea was also donated.
In May last year, the R&R Hospital retrieved organs from an accident victim which were transplanted on two patients in the same hospital and one on a Mumbai based woman patient. In an all-night procedure, organs of donor Ramesh Chand, 60, whose two sons Hav Madan Mohan and Cpl Kamlesh Kumar serve in the armed forces, were transplanted on two serving soldiers and the wife of another serving soldier. This was the first organ donation in a medico legal case.
In August last year, after Leela Devi, 26, lost the battle with brain tumour, her husband, Lance Naik G.S. Bisht consented to donate her organs. A combined team of over 40 doctors and para-medical staff from the Army Hospital (R&R) and Base Hospital successfully transplanted her liver into a serving soldier with terminal cirrhosis and one kidney into the 12-year-old daughter of a soldier suffering from end stage kidney disease. The other kidney was handed over to AIIMS, for transplant into a 45-year-old person with chronic kidney failure.
Brigadier Y.P. Bakshi, who was shot in the head in Meerut and brought to the R&R late in the evening of January 4 this year. Brig. Bakshi’s liver was transplanted to a 14-year-old and his kidneys have also been transplanted, one at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences. His heart valves and one of his corneas have also been saved, so in death he has touched a lot of lives.
On the occasion, Lt Gen Y Singh, other senior officers, Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra, well known cricketer, commentator and Member of Parliament Shri Navjot Singh Sidhu and many other dignitaries pledged their organs in the concluding part of the ceremony. This is the second such ceremony.
PK / RAJ
(Release ID :36091)