Bengal govt hospitals account for only 14.8% of brain deaths

KOLKATA: The contribution of government hospitals in terms of brain death declarations — which started from SSKM Hospital in February 2010 — remains abysmally low. Of all the brain death declarations — which resulted in organ donations — so far in West Bengal, only 14.8% happened in government hospitals.
The organ donation account opened for the first time in the state on February 5 in 2010, when Joydeb Pal of Birbhum was declared brain dead at SSKM Hospital. After that, only three more patients were declared brain dead at government hospitals across the state. Of the 27 brain death declarations that materialised into organ donations, 23 were made in private hospitals. The rest of the four happened at SSKM Hospital.

Officials at State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (SOTTO) conceded that the government hospitals are lagging on this front. But they said that efforts were being made too improve government hospitals’ contribution. In fact, an assistant superintendent from each teaching hospital will undergo a two-day transplant coordination programme starting from Monday at Swasthya Bhawan under Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (ROTTO) and SOTTO. “We are working on more modalities,” said a SOTTO official.
“There is a huge gap between the numbers of brain death declaration in government and private sector hospitals. Why is this gap? I am sure apart from SSKM, brain deaths are happening in other government hospitals too. Why aren’t they making the declarations then?” asked V M Swamy, founding member of Bengal Organ Donation Society.
“Even though most brain deaths are being declared by private hospitals, a major chunk of the organs are going to government hospitals for transplant surgeries. I think there’s need for balance on the allocation front also,” he added.
This year there has been four donations, all at private hospitals, including one at Howrah’s Narayana Superspecialty Hospital. In 2018, when the city saw the donation figure hitting the double digit mark for the first time — 15 — only three reported from SSKM Hospital. The rest happened at private hospitals, including one at Mission Hospital Durgapur.
“When we can sensitize our ICU doctors on identifying the brain deaths and counselling family of the deceased for donation and maintaining the donor organs at our cost, why can’t government hospitals do the same? I am sure there are more brain deaths in government hospitals due to the patient load,” said an intensivist of a private hospital.
A doctor at Medical College Hospital Kolkata admitted they failed to convince families of two brain dead patients recently. “We are taking a number of steps and holding orientation programmes so that we can convince the families,” said Dr Manimay Banerjee, director of IPGMER.