Ganga Medical Centre and Hospitals on Wednesday held a meeting for the beneficiaries of skin donation which also turned a platform for extending gratitude to the families of donors. The meeting was attended by 62 beneficiaries and members from the families of donors.
Officials with Ganga Hospital said that skin bank started in 2015 has, so far, received 103 skin donations. As many as 62 patients, including those from Manipal, Delhi and Jamshedpur were benefited from the bank, they said. S. Raja Sabapathy, chairman of Department of Plastic Surgery at the hospital, said that Coimbatore approximately receives two eye donations per day whereas skin donation happens only five to six times per month.
It is because of the lack of awareness about the skin donation. While eye donation gives sight, skin donation can give life,” said Dr. Raja Sabapathy. The recipients of skin are victims of severe burns cases and road traffic accidents.
Skin is harvested, 0.3 mm in thickness, only from the concealed parts of the body like thighs, legs, and back.
The harvested skin is processed at the skin bank and will be ready for use after three weeks. The processed skin can be stored for five years. R.V. Ramani, founder of Sankara Eye Foundation and Tharun R. Shah, president of Rotary Club of Coimbatore Metropolis, were present at the function.
The skin bank at Ganga Hospital can be contacted at 98659-11234 or
180042516000.