Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Aiming to boost organ donation across the state, the State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (SOTTO) has asked the regional directors and chief medical and health officers across the state to establish corneal retrieval centres in all district hospitals.
In its letter, the dean of MGM Medical College and ex-officio SOTTO Dr Sanjay Dixit mentioned about the gazette notification on Transplantation of Human Organs Act (THOA) by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and asked the health officials to prepare a proposal to establish cornea retrieval centre and ensure getting the approval for the same from SOTTO.
“An organ donor gives a new lease of life to many needy patients. Awareness is most important in organ donation and the people of Indore and its doctors are playing a major role in the noble cause.
We have asked the Health Department officials to act over the orders of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to promote organ donation and retrieval for giving new lease of life to the needy,” Dr Sanjay Dixit said.
He added that after getting the proposal, they will constitute a team of experts which will inspect the health facility before giving the approval for the same.
“Indore, Bhopal, Jabalpur, and Gwalior are major centres for corneal retrieval and donation. With the facility being started in all the district hospitals, the number of donations would be increased and we can help those in need,” Dr Dixit said.
11 corneal donations, one body donation in two days
As per the SOTTO’s record, Indore leads in organ donation in the state followed by Bhopal and Jabalpur. Moreover, as many as 11 corneal donations, five skin donations, and one cadaver donation have taken place in the last two days in the city.
According to sewadar of Muskan Group JituBagani, corneal donations of Dr Kirti Swaroop Rawat, Manohar Lal Chawla, Surendra Chopra, Ramabai Kothare, Neelu Hundlani, Rishabh Kasbe, Shakuntala Lahadiya, Leela Sachdev, SampatLal Jain, Shantilal Kochhar, and Harsiddhi Sharma was done by their family members. Cadaver donation of Dr Rawat was done at MGM Medical College.
Corneal retrieval in Indore’s district hospital a distant dream
Corneal retrieval in Indore’s district hospital is a distant dream as the hospital is under construction for the last five years. “District Hospital in Indore is under construction.
We cannot apply for establishing the corneal retrieval centre till it gets completed. At present, the first floor of the hospital is under construction and it will take more time to complete the building construction,” civil surgeon Dr GL Sodhi said.
