Hyderabad: Health Minister C Laxman Reddy on Thursday said the Government will soon be setting up special organ transplant units in Telangana since some of the Hospitals in Hyderabad like Osmania, Gandhi and NIMS and also others have begun to conduct transplant surgeries.
While addressing the function organized by Jeevendan – Cadaver Transplantation Programme, the Health Minister welcomed people coming forward to pledge organ donation. Around 147 donor families from different parts of the State have been felicitated with a memento and shawl.
The Government is also considering to bring the organ transplants under the Aarogyasri Healthcare programme.
The initiative that begun back in 2012, so far 1529 organs have been harvested. Organs like kidneys, liver, heart, heart valves, eyes, lungs and pancreas were collected in these five years.
Government hospitals are gearing up by building modular operation theatres. A beginning was made at Gandhi Hospital while private hospitals too have been involved in the programme.
“Soon we will improve facilities and services in all public hospitals by improving the sanitation standards, beds, equipment, etc. There is manpower shortage and we are trying to plug it,” the Minister said.
As per the figures provided at the meeting more and more people are coming forward for organ donations since the organ donations have risen for the past few years. If it was 41 in 2013, it rose to 106 last year and this year so far there are 85 organ donations.
About 47 heart, 166 heart valves,629 kidneys, 357 liver, 315 eyes, 7 lungs and 7 pancreas have been harvested as per the figures.
The function was also attended by Health Secretary Rajeshwar Tiwari, NIMS Director Dr. K. Manohar, Gandhi Hospital Superintendent Dr. P. Shravan Kumar, Osmania General Hospital Superintendent G.V.S. Moorthy, Jeevandan in charge Dr. G, Swarnalatha and others.