Rohit Shishodia
Consent given by families of two brain-dead people to donate their organs including heart, liver, corneas, bones and kidney has saved the lives of seven people at Delhi-AIIMS.

The organs were retrieved and transplanted at AIIMS in the last forty eight hours.

It is learned that one of the organs of a deceased was transplanted at RML Hospital, Delhi.

An AIIMS press release reads that Sachin, 26, resident of Kasganj, UP, fell from the second floor. He was brought to Jai Prakash Narayan Trauma Centre on February 13, 2020. On February 15, 2020, he was declared brain dead. His family took the brave decision and consented to donation of his organs including heart, kidney, liver, corneas and bones, says the AIIMS in the press release.

Another patient, Anil Mittal, 61, resident of Delhi, was declared brain dead on February 17, 2020. His organs, including heart, kidney, liver, corneas and bones were also retrieved and transplanted to needy patients. His family also consented to donate his lung but that did not suit for donation.

Dr Randeep Guleria, Director, Delhi-AIIMS, said the families were gracious enough to take decision to donate the organs of their beloved ones in the most painful times.

Dr Guleria added that ORBO at AIIMS is the first central institute which has implemented Declaration of the Brain Dead by treating physician and Mandatory Request for organ and tissue donation to relatives of potential donors as per provisions of the “Transplantation of Human Organ Tissue Act”.

Dr Arti Vij, Profesor In-Charge, ORBO, said that AIIMS has been successfully conducting heart, liver, kidney, pancreas transplantation and has fully functional heart valve bank, cornea hank and bone banks.

She also informed that while there is increase in general awareness among the public about organ donation, still there are lot of misconceptions and hurdles like non acceptance of brain stem death of the patient by their relatives, disfigurement of body, religious myths, divided family opinion and high density of migrant population in metros like Delhi-NCR etc which lead to non-availability of immediate relatives.

"We also conduct regular awareness programmes for general public and training programmes for medical and para-medical professionals," she added.