From l to r dr puneet, patient sourav and dr Ashutosh baghel at wockhardt hospitals mira road 1

Mumbai: A life-saving kidney donation was conducted at Wockhardt Hospitals, Mira Road by team led by Dr Puneet Bhuwania, Consultant Nephrologist and Dr Ashutosh Baghel, Consultant Urologist, Andrologist & Renal Transplant Surgeon, when a 73yr old brain-dead patient’s family decided to donate his organs as a part of his final wish to patients waiting in the cadaver program over years.

Mr. Saurav Mukherjee, a 43-year-old male suffering from chronic kidney disease (CKD) who was on dialysis for 4 years was registered with Wockhardt’s Kidney Transplant Program. While doing dialysis in Delhi, he received a chance to restart his life and got a kidney via the Zonal Transplant Coordination Centre (ZTCC) and Wockhardt’s cadaver program. He rushed to Mumbai from Delhi and after the required cross-match testing, he underwent the procedure successfully, he had a successful surgery at Wockhardt Hospitals, Mira Road, was discharged in a healthy state after 10 days, and is doing well without dialysis.

Dr. Puneet Bhuwania, Consultant Nephrologist & Transplant Physician at Wockhardt Hospitals, Mira Road said, “The donor was a 73-year-old man who was declared brain dead due to a massive IC Bleed. Even though the donor was classified as an expanded criteria donor by the ZTCC, 6 lives could be saved by his donation – kidneys, liver, lungs, and skin were donated. Mr Sourav was one of those lucky ones to have received this gift and even though the kidney was not ideal for him, he had a successful surgery at Wockhardt Hospitals, was discharged in a healthy state after 10 days, and is doing well without dialysis. One person donating can save up to 8 lives, i e. kidneys, liver, heart, intestine, eyes, lungs, pancreas and skin. *Each year more than approximately 50,000 kidney failure patients require kidney transplant while less than 5000 patients receive a kidney transplant and the majority (75-85%) is via the living donor program due to a lack of awareness about organ donation in our country. Everybody should pledge their organs for donation as even after death we can end up saving 8 lives. It is imperative to multiply the number of cadaver donations so that more and more people on the waiting list will get organs. Organ donation is a noble act and we appeal to each and every one to do their bit for society and save lives.”

There are 2 ways a patient can get a kidney transplant, first when their blood relatives donate one kidney to them or second, they register themselves in the state cadaver transplant program list, and when their turn comes as per their rank, they get the kidney transplant.

“I was in dire need of a kidney transplant after kidney failure. I was skeptical if I would survive. But I was fortunate to get a timely kidney transplant due to limitless efforts taken by Wockhardt Hospital. I wish more and more people come forward and donate organs to save millions of lives,” concluded the patient Mr Sourav.