BENGALURU: Setting aside their grief, the family of 12-year-old Sanjay, who was declared brain-dead on Thursday, opted to donate his heart valves -- which can save two children -- kidneys and liver at a city-based private hospital on Friday. Sanjay was seriously injured in the Jakkur flyover accident early Sunday morning, which claimed his uncle, Govindappa CT. While his accident was the first shocker, and brain death another one, worries of clearing the bill amounting to Rs 1.35 lakh was the biggest blow to his poor parents who are daily wage workers from Andhra Pradesh.
The health department informed them that the Andhra Pradesh government health card doesn’t apply in Karnataka. The family, which had deposited Rs 65,000 by pledging his mother’s jewels, was relieved when health department officers intervened, and the remaining bill of Rs 1.50 lakh was waived, according to his uncle, Nagaraj. Sanjay, a Class 5 student, had arrived from his village in Andhra Pradesh with his mother, to his maternal aunt’s house near Jakkur flyover at 5pm on Saturday.
The accident occurred on Jakkur flyover around 7.30am on Sunday. His uncle died on the spot while Sanjay, whowas riding pillion, was dragged along with the two-wheeler. His body was taken to his hometown for cremation on Friday evening, Nagaraj said. It took officers from the State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation of Karnataka (SOTTO) time to convince Sanjay’s family to donate his organs.
His parents were worried that the villagers would accuse them of selling his organs. But it was cleared by SOTTO sources that neither would the donor get any benefit from the government or beneficiary, nor would the beneficiaries be charged for the organs. Bharateesh Reddy, Vice-President of BGS Apollo Hospital, said the hospital charges for treatment procedures of the accident victim until he is declared braindead, and minimal organ retrieval charges would be borne by SOTT O. The recipients only have to bear surgery charges, he said.
Bill borne by state govt
In case of an accident, if a person with an Arogya Karnataka card gets treated at a private hospital on emergency basis, irrespective of being referred by a government hospital, and the person is from a BPL family, the entire bill amount would be borne by the State government. If the person is from an APL family, 30 per cent of the amount would be borne by the government, health department sources said. “At least NG Os should come forward to bear the complete treatment cost of accident victims from APL families who donate organs, which would bring some solace to the deceased’s family,” a doctor felt.