Mumbai catches up with 2014 record of organ donation

Mumbai has reported an optimistic growth by delivering close to its 2014 record of organ donation-last year it was 41, and this year it is just one short of this number standing at 40. It is a positive indication of the times ahead of the city's programme on organ donation.

As per an official report, The Zonal Transplant Coordination Committee (ZTTC) has confirmed that out of 40 donations this year, 106 organs have been transplanted. It also includes three successful heart transplants, which were carried out after nearly five decades since it was first attempted in the city. "Public hospitals have also started putting their resources into the programme by creating posts of transplant coordinators," said a member of ZTCC. BYL Nair Hospital, a hospital run by the civic corporation, carried out its first donation over 90 years after the institutes's inception, as confirmed by Times of India.

Only last week, a new donor initiative has been reported by a family in Thane. The family's consent to donate the organs of their patriarch was arrived at after the donor was seriously injured in a bike road accident, only meters away from his house on Ghodbunder Road.

The 69-year old man-now the donor- was severely injured while crossing the road. This road rage bike accident proved fatal form him-when he was on his way to a clinic to meet his doctor for a routine checkup.

Only after being rushed to Jupiter hospital after he suffered injuries when the bike had hit him-he was declared brain dead later.

The deceased's wife and daughter had already decided to donate his organs without the hospital having to inform or counsel them about cadaver donation, as reported by the Times of India. The donor's son-in-law said, "He and his wife were aware of organ donation and had even discussed in the past about registering to become donors. So when the doctors first told us about the possibility of such a noble cause, we willingly consented," he said, adding that they were willing to donate all organs, but only the liver, kidneys and eyes could be taken.

It is not just Mumbai which has contributed positively to the organ donation awareness program initiated by the government. Even other centers in Maharashtra, including Pune and Nagpur have been making consistent efforts to identify brain dead patients.