Srinagar
The Department of Urology and Kidney Transplant Unit (KTU) SKIMS, has done more than 250 successful kidney transplants till date.
The spokesman quoted the H O D Urology and urologist of the state Dr Saleem Wani saying “Renal transplantation has increased patient survival and it is in this context that Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Soura Srinagar took a lead in human organ transplantation in the state and Kidney Transplantation programme was established in SKIMS in 1999.
The Institute was authorized to carry Renal Transplantation in 1999 as per the J&K Transplantation of the Human Organ Act 1997and is the only centre in the state authorized to do the kidney transplantation.
SKIMS being the apex Institution of the state not only accepts patients from the state but also from the neighbouring states of the country, thereby providing an opportunity to the people with such ailments to avail the better quality treatment with lower costs than the corporate hospitals, the spokesman said.
Dr Wani lauded administration for its continuous support and said that SKIMS had only two bedded Transplant unit which has been upgraded to the 12-bed unit. He hoped that separate Nepro-Urosciences hospital will be established as a proposal for same has been submitted to the administration for consideration so that cadaver transplant program can also be started.
There is a huge gap between availability and demand of the organs for the transplantation.The future of solid organ transplantation is the Cadaver transplantation and the public needs to be made aware of the concept of Brain death. Fatal road accidents leading to brain death is on the rise and there is potential for huge Brain dead Donors.The number of fatal road accidents/year in the country is 85000 and on an average, there are 8-10 brain dead patients every day in ICUs in major cities, he added.
Dr Wani insisted that awareness in Medical fraternity and community at large is required for the success of the program. It is awareness programs in the form of Continued Medical Education (CME’s), public meetings, awareness through print & electronic media which created positive attitude among masses and lead to Husbands donating to Wives,Unmarried sisters donating to their sisters and brothers, Unmarried daughters donating to their fathers,Brothers donating to their sisters, &Pediatric transplant
