Green corridor helps HP donor save two lives

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 20

A joint team of the PGI, UT Administration and Chandigarh Police transported vital organs of a brain dead patient to New Delhi in a swift action on Monday. Due to the well-coordinated efforts by the team members, the organs were transported from the PGI to the Chandigarh Airport within 21 minutes through a dedicated green corridor.

The green corridor was made from the PGI to the Chandigarh International Airport twice this morning when it came to light that there was no matching recipient for the heart and liver received from a brain dead donor. The ambulance bearing the heart left the PGI at 7.20 am escorted by police vehicles. The second vehicle carrying the donor’s liver left the PGI at 9.15 am. Both the organs reached the international airport within 20-21 minutes.An official of the PGI said, “Since the PGI authorities decided to transport the organs to Delhi, an alert was sounded to the police. Immediate routes were established and traffic flow was blocked at some specific points. The organs were kept in an ambulance that was escorted by the police vehicles.”

The corridor was created from the PGI to Madhya Marg to Sector 26, from where it extended towards the Tribune Chowk, Phase 11, Mohali, and to the airport, he added.

The Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (ROTTO), PGI, had earlier approached NOTTO in Delhi to locate matching recipients. The retrieved donor heart was allocated to Medanta, Medicity Hospital and liver to the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi for matching recipients.

Earlier, family of 40-year-old Pradeep, a resident of Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, who was declared brain dead following a severe head injury, had offered to donate his organs for transplant despite their grave personal loss.

Subsequently, teams of surgeons from the PGI and ROTTO swung into action to make the donation a success.

Pradeep had fallen into a deep valley on March 17 on his way to his shop on his bicycle. He was admitted to the PGI on March 17 itself in an extremely critical condition and later succumbed to his injuries. He was declared brain dead on March 18.

Showcasing exemplary courage and magnanimity, Veena Devi, wife of deceased Pradeep consented for organ donation. Following their consent, the heart, liver and kidneys were retrieved. The kidneys enabled second lease of life to two patients battling for survival at the PGI through transplantation.

“My children have lost their father at an age when they needed him the most. Hope my decision for organ donation helps some children turn lucky and save their parents. This will be our biggest tribute to him,” stated Veena Devi.

Dr Vipin Koushal, Nodal Officer, ROTTO, PGI, shared, “Though there was a huge time crunch but in view of the family’s magnanimous gesture, efforts were made to ensure that their sentiments were honoured. With NOTTO’s quick intervention, the heart was airlifted early morning through a special flight for Medanta in Delhi, as soon as it was retrieved. Later, the liver was sent through another flight to AIIMS, New Delhi.”