Bangalore Medical College (BMC) recently obtained permission to perform liver transplants and as many as 15 people have already registered themselves for a liver transplant.
Dr M M Satish Kumar, Assistant professor, Institute of Nephro-Urology, Victoria Hospital, addressing a press conference here, said: “BMC, which previously had permission to perform kidney transplants, had requested that it be allowed to perform liver transplants as well.”
Speaking about the low number of people who come forward for cadaver donation, the Zonal Coordination Committee of Karnataka for Organ Transplantation (ZCCK), a State-run body, Dr M M Satish Kumar said that there were only 75 donations from across Karnataka since 2007.
The donations have generated 125 kidneys, 60 livers, 32 heart valves, seven hearts and 1 pancreas. “In Tamil Nadu and Kerala, the numbers are significantly higher. People volunteer to donate soon after a family member is brain dead. However, the awareness is low here,” said Dr Kumar.
A walkathon was organized on Sunday by the ZCCK in association with HCG Hospital to create awareness on organ donation.
The event, titled ‘Walk for Life’, saw over 500 enthusiastic participants from of all walks of life, who stand up to the heat and walked to create awareness on organ donation. Lokayukta Justice Y Bhaskar Rao, flagged off the event at Freedom Park.