Night Green corridor helps heart cover 8.1 kms in just 6 minutes

New Delhi  :  The Fortis Organ Retrieval and Transplant (FORT) unit facilitated the deceased donor process helped successfully transport a donor’s heart from Fortis Flt. Lt. Rajan Dhall Hospital, Vasant Kunj in South Delhi reaching Max Super Specialty Hospital, Saketin record time, saving the life of a 20-year-old male from Bhiwani. A Night Green Corridor was created at 2.20 am by the Delhi Police between Fortis Hospital Vasant Kunj to Max Hospital, Saket covering a distance of 8.1 kms in just 6 minutes.

The donor, 41-year-old patientof Nepalese origin was brought into the emergency of Fortis Flt Lt Rajan Dhall Hospital, Vasant Kunj after a road accident by the Delhi Police late on Sunday, November 20^th 2016. The patient was non-responsive and unconscious at the time of arrival, and despite best efforts by the doctors, they could not revive the patient (a driver for a private company by profession) and he was declared brain dead on Tuesday, November 22^nd 2016. Thereafter, the proposal to donate his organs for a larger cause was discussed with his family. His wife, a home maker, his brother (also a driver at the same company) and his teenage son, who is appearing for his class 10^th board exams this year, consented despite their hour of profound grief. The second and final brain dead test was conducted thereafter and the hospital informed NOTTO (National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation)and the police which was pressed into action owing to the fact that it was an MLC case.

According to the NOTTO protocol and guidelines update, each hospital has to inform about their possible organ donation after which the government body decides as to which organ is to be sent to which hospital in the region based on a list of priority recipients.According to the hospital-wise rota decided by NOTTO, the heart was sent to Max Super Speciality Hospital, Saket;one kidney to Fortis Hospital, Shalimar Bagh to be transplanted in a 52-year-old female recipient while the second remains with Fortis Flt Lt Rajan Dhall Hospital to be transplanted into a 46-year old female. The corneas were sent to Venu Eye Center.

Abrar Ali Dalal, Facility Director, Fortis Flt. Lt. Rajan Dhall Hospital said, “This is our second deceased donor transplant for this facility. We thank the donor’s family for recognizing the importance of organ donation and are deeply appreciative of them to have agreed for this magnanimous and noble act even in their hour of grief and irreparable loss. It was also the clockwork precision of all internal and external medical teams which made this dream of a cadaveric donation a reality.”

“It is extremely motivating to see a gradual shift in public perception on the issue of organ donation in our country. As per available statistics, in 2015, there were 570 donations following brain death cases in the country, resulting in transplantation of a total of 1,675 organs including 1,007 kidneys, 510 livers, 110 hearts, 37 lungs, 4 pancreas and 2 small intestines. These are not small numbers in a country where, till a decade ago, organ donation was synonymous with the donation of a kidney or part of the liver from a living donor,”explained Dr Avnish Seth, Director, Fortis Organ Retrieval and Transplant (FORT), while speaking about the latest policies in place to streamline the process of Organ Donation throughout the country.

Added Dr Shalini Bhalla, Medical Superintendent at the hospital, “Such humble acts where a family overcomes their loss and comes forward for organ donation, forces us to think beyond, in such times of crisis.”

Ms Geeta Thapa, the wife of the donor shared, “I had heard about organ donation but never imagined that it would become a reality for me one day.  No words can express my loss but am proud of the fact that my husband has been able to grant life to others even as he is no more. I pray for the well-being of the recipients”.