A three-step approach to step up kidney donations

On World Kidney Day, doctors say had these steps been taken, recipients waiting for donors would have dropped from 1,200

On World Kidney Day, doctors say had these steps been taken, recipients waiting for donors would have dropped from 1,200

With 12 cadaver kidney transplants taking place this year so far, doctors on World Kidney Day today, say that

wasted: Mumbai's doctors lost a golden opportunity with the 26/11 terror attacks when not a single organ donation was made

with 1,200 donor awaiting transplants, there is an immediate need to recognise and immediately act upon brain dead patients.

Said Dr Vatsala Trivedi, in-charge of the Zonal Transplant Co-ordination Centre for kidneys and livers, "Around five to 10 per cent of all ICU deaths in the city are patients who are brain dead, but tragically, just a very small number make it as donors. This is because such a patient can quickly go into cardiac seizure, leading to death, when transplants cannot take place."u00a0

Another factor adding to the dismal donation numbers is the lack of medical infrastructure on highways, where a lot of accidents take place and the victims can be potential donors. Said Dr Bharat Shah, consulting nephrologist at Lilavati and Nanavati hospitals, "Most kidney donations should happen from accident deaths, but they rarely make it, as donors are dead on arrival. There are just 25 centres where transplants can take place, but none are at Panvel, Dombivli or Kalyan, where accidents happen."

Then again, hospitals don't take the effort to counsel relatives. Trivedi added that city doctors lost a golden opportunity with 26/11 when not a single organ donation was made. "There are no trained counsellors at many hospitals. Organ donation is still a sticky subject, so how can we expect relatives of patients to understand?"

12
Number of kidney transplants this year

1,200
People waiting for a kidney

1
Cadaver liver transplant this year

40
People waiting for a liver

How this wonderful social worker saved a life even after he died
Even though they were dealing with tragedy, it was an easy decision for Jivraj Chhadva's family to donate his kidney and eyes when the social worker suffered brain haemorrhage and passed away in December 2006.

"My father had donated blood 63 times and was A-, a rare blood group. When we were told that he was brain dead and wouldn't recover, we knew that he would have wanted his kidney to benefit others," said Chhadva's son, Nilesh, a chartered accountant.

Most donors are never told who will be the recipient to avoid any complications that may arise.

What is a cadaver donation?
A cadaver donation is a kidney or liver taken from a 'brain dead' patient i.e. a person whose heart and lungs have been kept functioning through mechanical support