Call to start heart & liver transplants in state hospitals

BHUBANESWAR: Experts have said it is high time that hospitals in the state start transplants of vital organs other than kidney. Hospitals, particularly in the twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, are yet to start transplant of organs like liver and heart though those in nearby cities like Kolkata, Visakhapatnam and Hyderabad have such facilities.
The SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack, can conduct kidney, eye and tissue transplants. Even AIIMS Bhubaneswar is yet to start liver transplant. A medical college and hospital of a deemed to be university had started liver transplant surgeries with the help of experts from outside the state two years ago. But it could not continue the procedure.
Manoj Kumar Sahu, gastroenterologist and hepatologist, said liver transplantation can be done in Odisha. “We need to create infrastructure and train our manpower to carry out the procedure. The state government has tied up with some healthcare groups for training on the procedure. Initially, we have to depend on experts from outside for conducting liver transplants. Later, manpower of the state will get proper training and take this work forward,” he added.
Sahu, who had conducted a liver transplant at a private medical college with the help of experts from outside two years ago, said government medical colleges can also conduct this procedure with minimum infrastructure like operation theatre and ICU and a dedicated transplant team with proper training. “Poor patients will benefit if such transplant procedures begin in government hospitals,” he added.
Suvakanta Biswal, cardiac surgeon, said heart transplant can be done in the state’s hospitals. “We need to create awareness among people about donating hearts of brain dead patients. Now many patients depend on medicines till death. We could have given them quality life through heart transplant. Hospitals can start the procedure with existing infrastructure and some added machines for laboratory tests,” he added.
For training, he said, the state government or hospitals can tie up with top hospitals who conduct heart transplant and train the manpower in Odisha. “After a few operations, our manpower can continue the work,” he added.
Body and Organ Donation Initiative (BODI) president Pravas Acharya said cadaveric (brain dead donor) transplant is important for needy patients. “So far six cadaveric transplants have been conducted since 2020 and all of these were only for kidney. Liver and heart transplants are not being done in Odisha so far,” he added.