Shortage of donor makes organ transplant difficult in India

Kolkata, May 27 (UNI) India requires nearly 1,00,000 organ transplant every year, while only 20-25 per cent of the surgeries could be performed due to lack of organ donors, renowned gastroenterologist Dr K Rabindranath said.

At the opening of a multi-organ transplantation and tertiary care centre here yesterday, Dr Rabindranath also stressed the need for motivating the people to donate their organs and save the lives of millions.

In a joint venture, the Global Hospital and Sureka Group would establish a super-speciality hospital at New Town, Kolkata, where both cadaver and donor transplantation facility would be made available.

The facility is likely to cost approximately Rs 150 crore in the first phase and become functional in 18-21 months, Dr Rabindranath said.

He claimed that ten per cent beds would be earmarked for reconstruction of the society, where treatment would be provided at a subsidised rate.

'' The facility is to provide world-class critical medical treatment at a very reasonable rate. The cost of a liver transplant is expected to be around Rs 15-20 lakhs compared to Rs one crore in similar centres abroad,'' Dr Rabindranath said. Besides, it would have a separate transplant training centre alongwith research facility. Stem cell transplant and research activities would be performed here.

He also claimed that many services, which were currently not available in eastern India, would be introduced in this hospital.

This facility, therefore, would fill a major gap in the availability of critical treatment facilities in the region.

Besides the routine operation, it would excel in treating diseases of the liver, kidney, heart, lungs, bonemarrow, gastrointestinal system and neurosciences.

West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee would lay the foundation stone of the Global Hospital, Kolkata, on May 31.

UNI