Thiruvananthapuram Govt Hospital performs five corneal transplants in 45 days
Thiruvananthapuram: Thiruvananthapuram Government General Hospital has successfully completed five corneal transplant surgeries in just 45 days, drawing national attention to the institution's eye-care capabilities.
Among these landmark procedures, the hospital performed lamellar keratoplasty (DSEK – Descemet’s Stripping Endothelial Keratoplasty), a highly specialised surgery in which only the damaged layers of the cornea are replaced, preserving the patient’s healthy tissue, news agency UNI reported.
Health Minister Veena George congratulated the hospital team, calling the achievement “remarkable for both the state and the nation.”
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She highlighted that the hospital’s advanced corneal transplantation infrastructure was established during the current government’s tenure.
“Providing such high-cost, complex procedures—typically restricted to private hospitals—at a government district hospital represents a major milestone in making quality eye care accessible to all,” Minister George said, adding that this achievement further strengthens Kerala’s blindness prevention programme.
The surgeries were performed by Dr. Rashmi P. Haridas and Dr. Divya, assisted by anesthesiology experts Dr. Ambili and Dr. Madhu, nursing officers Bobby and Revathi, transplant coordinator Nadia, and nursing assistant Molly.
Minister George also emphasised patient support, noting that recipients of transplants can now obtain essential post-transplant medicines at minimal cost through the ‘Karunyasparsham’ zero-profit pharmacy counters set up across Kerala.
Initially launched in 14 selected charitable pharmacies, the initiative has expanded to 58 Karunya pharmacies across all 14 districts, making costly transplant and anti-cancer medicines widely affordable.
Medicines under this programme are available at significantly reduced rates at institutions including Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital, Government Victoria Hospital Kollam, General Hospital Pathanamthitta, Medical College Hospitals in Alappuzha, Kottayam, Thrissur, Kozhikode, and District Hospitals in Palakkad, Tirur, Mananthavady, Pariyaram Medical College, and General Hospital, Kasaragod.
This landmark accomplishment not only establishes Thiruvananthapuram Government General Hospital as a national leader in corneal transplantation but also underscores Kerala’s commitment to equitable, high-quality eye care for all citizens.
