PGIMER celebrates 50th Anniversary of Renal Transplant
Witnesses enthusiastic participation by over 200 across the country
Director PGIMER felicitates brave heart donor families for being the ‘Saviour’ to many amid their own tragedy
Longest Survivor (37 years), Youngest Recipient (3 years) demonstrate the success of transplant as life option
PGIMER conducted its first kidney transplant on 21st June 1973 and till date, PGIMER has accomplished over 4700 renal transplants including both live and deceased, thereby, saving precious lives.
PGIMER’s Department of Renal Transplant Surgery organised an impressive and engaging event to celebrate 50th Anniversary of starting Renal Transplant Surgery, at NINE Auditorium here at PGIMER today.
The event that witnessed the participation of over 200 delegates from across the country, was presided over by Prof. Vivek Lal, Director PGIMER and Dr Anil Kumar, Director, National Organ & Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) under the aegis of National Organ & Tissue Transplant Programme, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.
Adding to the value and profile of the event were present pioneers of kidney transplant at PGIMER, including Padam Shree Prof. Mukut Minz, Prof. Vinay Sakhuja and Prof. R.K Suri who interacted with the audience while tracing the journey of renal transplant.
Complimenting PGIMER for doing a yeoman’s service to the nation in the field of organ donation and transplantation, Dr Anil Kumar, Director, National Organ & Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO), the Chief Guest on the occasion, stated, “The solution to organ shortage and achievement of self-sufficiency in organ donation is possible only through systematic strengthening of the deceased donor programme. The three tier concept of setting up of national, regional and state units under National Organ Transplant Programme is an excellent step towards bridging the gap between need and availability”
“However, we need requisite infrastructure, motivated manpower and community engagement to sustain the deceased organ donation programme and PGIMER with all these enabling factors perfectly in place, has set a role model for other hospitals in the country to emulate,” added Director NOTTO.
Prof. Vivek Lal, Director PGIMER, addressing at the occasion complimented the proactive initiative and synergized efforts by Renal Transplant Deptt, ROTTO and other departments involved in the transplantation which paved the way for PGIMER being awarded as the best public sector hospital consecutively for four years for its contribution towards the promotion of cadaver organ donation.
While endorsing the need for sensitisation and engagement, Director PGIMER further stated, “The donation rate might not be as advanced as what we would like it to be. We need to reach out, collaborate and replicate the best practices of each other to up skill and upscale the donation rate, which is still abysmally low to meet the requirement,” emphasised Director PGIMER.
Updating the delegates about the current advancements and the Program’s achievements, Prof. Ashish Sharma, Head, Dept. of Renal Transplant Surgery, PGIMER shared, “ With over 4700 renal transplants including both live and cadaver, PGIMER’s renal transplant program one of the most prolific in the country.”
PGIMER also became the first public sector hospital to do transplant after cardiac death in 2011 and till date 27 renal transplants have been conducted from cardiac death donors. Even Simultaneous Pancreas Kidney Transplant (SPKT) was also initiated by the department way back in December, 2014 and presently, the department has to its credit 40 SPKT conducted successfully. The latest addition in the accomplishments is the Simultaneous Liver Kidney Transplant (SLKT) with 3 cases done successfully till date, shared Prof. Ashish Sharma.
An elated Padam Shri Prof. Mukt Minz, Ex Head, Deptt. of Renal Transplant Surgery, PGIMER recounting the journey of PGIMER’s transplantation stated, “Despite massive efforts, the rate of cadaver organ donation in the country is only one per million, whereas the city beautiful, Chandigarh has the proud distinction of having a rate of cadaver organ donation per million population matching even the international standards, all due to PGIMER’s consistently successful deceased donation programme,”
Prof. Vinay Sakhuja, ex Head, Dept. of Nephrology, PGIMER further elaborated, “PGIMER’s tryst with transplantation dates back to 21st June 1973 when first renal transplantation was successfully done by Dr. RVS Yadav and Dr. KS. Chugh. Since then, there has not been any looking back with the numbers consistently rising every year. This speaks volumes about the success of the renal transplant programme. “
Taking the journey forward, Prof. R.K.Suri shared, “The department of Renal Transplant Surgery was also one of the early ones to implement a cadaveric renal transplantation program, the first being performed in July 1996 by Dr Mukut Minz soon after the introduction of the Transplantation of Human Organs Act 1994.
“There can’t be a better way to demonstrate the success of transplant as life option than the recipients themselves”, said Sr. Shivakumar S Patil, Deptt. of Renal Transplant Surgery,as he introduced Sh Sukhdev who had received kidney from his father 37 years ago which still continues to function as well as Mr Ravjot the youngest recipient of PGI who received a kidney from a deceased child aged 3 years. Patients having undergone pancreas transplant 8 years ago were also felicitated along with a recipient who received organs from the youngest donor of the country.
It was an extremely emotional moment with every one giving a standing ovation as brave heart donor families were honoured for their exemplary gesture of organ donation amid their own tragedy that gave a second lease of life to terminally ill renal failure patients.
Earlier setting the context, Prof. Deepesh Kenwar, Deptt. of Renal Transplant Surgery, stated, “The intent behind organising this event was to celebrate success as well as to acquaint the audience with the tireless effort as an institution that went into achieving various milestones in renal transplant and thereby, build further impetus on PGIMER’s agenda on organ donation and transplantation.”
Dr. Sarbpreet Singh, Deptt. of Renal Transplant Surgery, aptly summed up the programme by proposing the vote of thanks.
