KOCHI: Health Minister V S Sivakumar on Tuesday inaugurated the 10th anniversary of the first liver transplantation conducted at the Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences (AIMS).
On the occasion, the Minister said that the AIMS had become a role model for the country’s health sector.
“Amrita has always been ready to face new challenges in modern medical practices,” he said, and added that the government would take steps to encourage organ donation, involving transplantation of organs from victims of fatal road accidents.
The minister pointed out that in Kerala, around 4,000 brain deaths are reported every year due to road accidents.
When brain death occurs, the relatives of the victim should come forward to donate organs to patients who are waiting for receiving organs.
It should be done without compulsion, so that it becomes a great blessing for the patients.
In the past ten years, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Kochi, has performed 325 liver transplants, which is a great achievement compared to international standards.
Dr Sudheendran of AIMS, Kochi, has been included in the committee constituted by the Kerala Government for coordinating donation and reception of organs.
Swami Purnamritananda Puri, general secretary of the Mata Amritanandamayi Math, delivered the benedictory address.
Actor Mohanlal, who was present at the function, said that relatives of brain-dead persons should be encouraged to donate organ.
The actor, who had pledged to donate his organs, pointed out that the message of organ donation should be spread among the youth. AIMS medical director Dr Prem Nair, Hibi Eden MLA, Cashew Development Corporation chairman R Chandrasekharan, Kerala Network of Organ Transfer nodal officer Dr Noble Gracious, AIMS chief transplant surgeon Dr Sudheendran S, GI Surgery head of the department Dr Puneeth Dhar and Dr O V Sudheer spoke on the occasion.