New Delhi: The family of a 52-year-old ex-BSF jawan who was declared brain dead at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here donated his organs, offering a new lease of life to three people.
While one of Rakesh Kumar's kidneys was used at AIIMS Delhi, the other was sent to a patient at Safdarjung hospital. His heart was transplanted into a patient at the Army's Research and Referral (RR) Hospital.
Kumar, a native of Firozabad, had suffered a fall while carrying out some electricity repairs at his home on October 3. According to a doctor, he was rushed to a local trauma center, which referred him to AIIMS.
Kumar was admitted to the AIIMS Trauma Centre early on October 4 and was operated upon. He was declared brain dead on October 6, the doctor added. His family was counselled about donating the organs and they agreed.
"His heart was transplanted into a patient at the Army RR Hospital on Friday. His one kidney went to a patient at Safdarjung hospital while his other kidney was used at AIIMS. Both his corneas have been preserved for transplant in the coming weeks," the doctor said, adding the liver was not found to be suitable for transplantation.
According to the doctor, Kumar's nephew, who is a junior resident in the Emergency Medicine department at AIIMS Trauma Centre, played a crucial role in convincing the family for organ donation.
"Since April 2022, a total of 13 donations have happened at the trauma centre of AIIMS, Delhi (highest ever number at AIIMS, Delhi) since 1994. The entire team at JPN Apex trauma centre is working together and has made major changes in brain death certification and organ procurement processes, leading to sustained increased numbers now," the doctor added.
The organ procurement services at the AIIMS Trauma Centre are led by Professor of Neurosurgery, Dr Deepak Gupta.
The doctor said that one person dies in a road traffic accident every three minutes in India currently (1,50,000 deaths per year), but only 700 organ donations happen each year. Awareness about organ donation is the need of the hour.
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