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Cuttack, Jan 10: The state’s first liver transplantation unit is soon to become a reality at SCB Medical College and Hospital here, with the state government sanctioning funds for the unit that is expected to be operational by the end of this fiscal.
The state government has sanctioned Rs 12 crore for establishing infrastructure, including a modular operation theatre, and has asked the authorities to begin liver transplant services by March, according to sources.
“The liver transplantation unit at SCB Medical College and Hospital would be operational by March. For this, the state government has sanctioned additional funds. The facility would benefit poor patients suffering from liver ailments as the cost of treatment would be much less than in private hospitals,” said Prof Mihir Mohapatra, head of surgical gastroenterology.
The state’s premier medical centre had kidney and bone marrow transplant units earlier. The addition of another transplant facility would come as a boon for end-stage patients.
“We are going to perform liver transplant surgeries soon. For this, equipment of more than Rs 6 crore has been installed. With the full-fledged operation of the unit, several patients from and outside the state would be benefitted from this service,” said Dr Pratap Mishra, the administrative officer.
SCB has already allocated space for the centre, which would have advanced OTs, ICUs, pre-operation and post-operation wards, apart from counselling centres.
The unit would function under the surgical gastroenterology department with doctors drawn from the home discipline as well as medicine, radiology, pathology, anaesthesiology and critical care medicine departments, according to sources. For this, the Medanta Institute of Liver Transplant and Regenerative Sciences, New Delhi, has been roped in to impart training.
