COIMBATORE: The Coimbatore Medical College Hospital has set up a 'Wall of Honour' to pay tribute to people who donated their organs and gave a new lease of life to several patients.
The hospital authorities said the wall has been created to honour and remember those who donated organs after being declared brain dead. The names of the donors are inscribed in golden letters so that their selfless act is remembered and celebrated.
According to the data available from the hospital, since February 2020, 30 people have donated organs at Coimbatore Medical College Hospital. A total of 95 organs have been retrieved and used for transplants. So far, 100 patients have successfully received organs and undergone transplant surgeries at the hospital.
The wall currently carries the names of 30 donors. The first name on the list is that of P Sivaskumar, who donated his organs in February, 2020. The most recent name added is that of N Gopalakrishnan, who donated on July 5.
Hospital officials explained the process behind organ donation. Awareness campaigns are conducted to educate people about the importance of organ donation. When a brain-dead patient is identified, organs are retrieved only after obtaining consent from the family members under the Brain Deceased Organ Retrieval and Transplant Program, under the guidance of the Transplant Authority of Tamil Nadu (TRANSTAN). After a final tribute is paid to the donor, the body is sent to their native place.
Speaking about the initiative, the hospital said that organ donation is the highest form of humanity. The Wall of Honour also aims to spread awareness and encourage more people to come forward for organ donation. The hospital believes that recognising donors in this manner will inspire families to consider donation during difficult times.
In September 2024, the previous DMK government announced that organ donors in Tamil Nadu would be honoured by the government. In Coimbatore Medical College Hospital, the wall has been constructed in the waiting hall area at a cost of Rs 10 lakh. The wall is constructed with a measurement of 10 x 3.75 feet.
The model draws inspiration from the memorial in Washington, which bears the names of soldiers who lost their lives in the Vietnam War.