Kerala government to introduce scheme for organ donors, recipients

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said the government is in the process of introducing welfare scheme for organ donors and recipients.
Kerala government to introduce scheme for organ donors, recipients

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said the government is in the process of introducing welfare scheme for organ donors and recipients.Speaking at a programme organised to remember the cadaveric donors here on Monday he said  a welfare scheme should be formulated to assist the family members of the cadaveric donors  under the joint auspices of the Health Department, Social Security Mission and Mrithasanjeevani project.

The Chief Minister also said the plight of the family of organ recipients also should be considered as the organ transplant and aftercare would be unaffordable for many of them. Medicines alone will cost `10,000 to `20,000 for a month. Moreover, they require rest for several months.
The government is considering to unify the treatment expenses and provide generic medicines  at a lesser price under Karunya scheme.

He pointed out that there were thousands of patients whose life could have been saved if organ transplant was done in time. “But  the reduction in the number of brain death cases and shortage of  organ donors were hampering organ transplants.”

He said the government had noticed affluent people luring people with huge compensation for donating their organ. “But the donors most often do not understand that they would have to spend more than what they had received for the medication and after care.

In view of this the government has taken the stand that the organ donations should be made between people having blood relation and encourage donation of organ only from brain dead persons.”
He said under the Mrithasanjeevani project, 700 people had received new organs. According to the latest estimate, 49 people had undergone heart transplant, three people received lungs, 210 conducted liver transplant, 456 received kidneys, 7 received pancreas, 3 got intestine and 8 people underwent hand transplantation.

The Chief Minister presented the Dr Ramdas Pisharodi Award to Dr Easwar H V, professor Sri Chitra Institute of Medical Sciences. Health Minister K K Shylaja presided over the function.  KNOS Nodal officer Dr Noble Gracius received the organ donation consent letter from Dr Shaji, NSS representative in the Kerala University.DME Dr Ramla Beevi, V S Sivakumar MLA, M S Sharmad, Medical College Superintendent and others attended.

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