For the second consecutive year, cadaveric organ donations in Karnataka have crossed the century mark. The State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (SOTTO), which is the nodal agency that facilitates cadaver organ donations, has recorded 104 donations till July 31.
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Last year, the State had recorded the third highest number of donations in the country with a total of 151, the highest ever. Overall, this is the third time since the inception of the erstwhile Zonal Coordination Committee of Karnataka (ZCCK) for organ transplantation in 2007 that organ donations have crossed 100. The State had recorded 105 donations in 2019.
In 2017, ZCCK was registered as a society and named as Jeevasarthakathe, the State’s nodal agency that facilitates cadaveric organ donations. In September last year, the Union Health Ministry officially recognised Jeevasarthakathe as Karnataka’s SOTTO and allocated the required funds.
The National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) will present Karnataka with the Best Emerging SOTTO award at a function organised in Delhi on Thursday to mark Indian Organ Donation Day, said Rajani M., State Joint Director (Medical), who is the Member Secretary of SOTTO. “August 3 commemorates the first successful deceased heart transplant in India in 1994,” she said.
This year, the State recorded eight donations from two Non-Transplant Human Organ Retrieval Centres (NTHORCs). While one donation was done at NIMHANS, seven were recorded at the State-run Trauma and Emergency Care Centre on Victoria Hospital campus.
Youngest and oldest donors
This year’s 104 donors include a 15-month-old girl baby and a 73-year-old woman. Both donors are from Bengaluru. Last year, the SOTTO had facilitated donations from a nine-month-old boy and a 97-year-old man.
While the first donation in 2023 happened at Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS), Hubballi, the 100th donation was done at Manipal Hospital on Old Airport Road.
Rise after COVID-19
Organ donations that had almost come to a halt during the pandemic saw a steady rise since last year. Last year, organ donations by celebrities inspired many to pledge organs. As many as 70 cadaveric donations recorded in 2021, 35 in 2020, and 105 in 2019 were facilitated through Jeevasarthakathe, which is now SOTTO.
State missed six donations this year
Karnataka missed six potential organ donations this year, so far. This is mainly due to reluctance for consent by families of potential donors and misconceptions surrounding organ donations. Rajani M., State Joint Director (Medical), who is the Member Secretary of SOTTO, said while 44 donations were missed in 2019, 43 were missed in 2020, 32 in 2021, and 15 in 2022.
Elaborating on the reasons for the missed donations, Dr. Rajani said sometimes, the identified donor is not fit to donate due to clinical reasons. “Or, someone from the donor family/distant family/friends circle say no to organ donation and the next of kin do not have much say in taking a decision against the wish of those opposing it. Also, there are misconceptions surrounding organ donation,” she said.
Transplants in government institutes
A total of 44 renal transplants, including 22 cadaveric, and 10 liver transplants were done at two government institutes - Institute of Nephro Urology and Institute of Gastroenterology Sciences and Organ Transplant, respectively this year. The latter, which started its transplant programme six months ago, is only doing cadaveric transplants as of now.
While renal and liver transplants cost over ₹7 lakh and ₹25 lakh, respectively, in private hospitals, it is free for BPL patients in government institutes. APL patients are charged ₹1.4 lakh and ₹4 lakh for renal and liver transplants, respectively.
“Our last liver recipient (transplant patient) is a 42-year-old painter from Shivamogga, who suffered acute liver failure due to late diagnosis of Hepatitis A and overdose of medication. Initially, he went to a general physician in Shivamogga and was under treatment for viral fever. He was prescribed paracetamol and antibiotics. But, his infection turned out to be Hepatitis A,” said institute director Nagesh N.S.
“As he could not afford missing his daily earnings, he took eight paracetamol tablets in one go. Hepatitis and overdose of medication led to acute liver failure. He was referred to our hospital and we listed him for emergency liver transplant. He was lucky to get a cadaveric organ and underwent a successful liver transplant for free,” he added.
