Team Herald
PANJIM: In a rare feat of magnanimity that will give a new lease of life to a couple of patients awaiting organ transplants, the family of a person declared brain dead at a Dona-Paula hospital donated his body parts for the benefit of the needy.
The liver, kidney and cornea of B Sadashiv Rao of Vasco, were harvested by a team of doctors sent by Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (ROTTO) and State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (SOTTO) at the Manipal Hospital, Dona Paula and taken to Mumbai by a chartered flight for transplant by providing a green corridor.
“I am very proud of my father, throughout his life he was a helping hand to everyone who came to him and was in need both professionally and personally. When he was alive he told his daughter and my sister to get eye donation cards, he always had a will to donate. The family is proud of him,” Rao’s son told Herald. Rao became the first Goan to donate multiple organs, and second in the country to do so.
Goa Police successfully provided a green corridor route that was demarcated and cleared out for the ambulance carrying the harvested organs from the Dona Paula hospital to the airport. The airport authority also helped in quick landing and takeoff of the flight.
“Today is a red letter day for Goa. The magnanimous family of Rao, who was declared brain dead at 11 pm on April 5, graciously decided to donate all organs for fellow citizens in trouble. Immediately the family members called the Health Secretary and Health Minister and permissions were granted. We then contacted ROTTO because they allot the organs as we do not have a list,” Dr Shekhar Salkar of Manipal hospital said.
He added, “We salute this family for being a shining example of altruism. Although no patient from Goa will get these organs. Two kidneys, liver and cornea were harvested which will give new life to three patients and sight to one.”
A doctor from the hospital said that Goa has a transplant centre at Goa Medical College (GMC) but there should be proper guidelines and only ROTTO can decide. “Goa government has applied for SOTTO but till date files are pending. Also a cross matching facility is the need of the hour,” he said.
