Cuttack: The state is yet to initiate a cadaveric organ transplant programme even though the health department had moved a proposal on this two years ago.
Shortage of organs for transplantation and the legal issues involved in it have killed many people in the state. Some people have also collected organs illegally from various sources to save the lives of their dear ones, sources said.
Cadaveric organ transplant has been a huge success in Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Telangana, Kerala, Karnataka, Gujarat, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh since many years. Tamil Nadu has become a role model for other states by harvesting 5,933 organs from 1,056 brain-dead people and transplanting them.
TN harvested 648 organs like kidney, liver, heart, lungs and pancreas from 180 donors last year. These organs have given a new lease of life to many people.
Maharashtra has also done well in cadaveric organ transplants by collecting 204 kidneys, 126 livers, 47 hearts, a lung and a pancreas from 132 donors in 2016. Orissa’s immediate neighbour Telangana has harvested 182 kidneys, 100 livers, 15 hearts, two lungs and four other organs from 106 donors last year.
Sources said the collection of organs for transplantation in these states is increasing. Altogether 196 people had donated organs in these states in 2013, but the number rose to 723 in 2016.
Health Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak had said that a cadaveric organ transplant programme would be launched in the state while participating at an event at the Sriram Chandra Bhanja Medical College and Hospital (SCBMCH) in Cuttack in 2015. As per the initiative, the health department was supposed to declare five government and private hospitals having intensive care unit (ICU) facilities as organ harvesting centres. A proposal was moved to make SCBMCH the nodal centre for organ harvesting.
A senior doctor, associated with cadaveric organ transplant in Tamil Nadu, had prepared a roadmap for the project. However, the health department failed to launch the organ transplantation programme in the state. A few insiders blame the callous administrative set up for the delay in the project.
Sources said the state government had procured equipment worth Rs 12 crore for opening a liver transplant unit at SCBMCH. A few doctors and other health staff were provided special training to handle the unit. The unit was supposed to start work in January 2014. However, the hospital authorities are yet to set up the proposed unit.
SCBMCH superintendent Shyama Kanungo said they are speeding up work on the liver transplant unit. Hospital administrative officer Pratap Mishra said the unit will start operations within a month.
Health Minister Pratap Jena said the government is looking into all aspects of launching a cadaveric organ transplant programme.
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