Organ donation & transplantation is catching up in Karnataka. There is no denying the fact that, Surgeons, Anaesthetists are the most important stakeholders in successful organ transplantation, but the team which works silently without much of the limelight “Transplant Coordinators” makes all the hard work in the backdrop are yet to get their due recognition.
“Transplant Coordinators” (TCs) are the most important key members of organ donation & transplantation. They are the live wire between patients/attenders, hospital administration, brain death committee members, State Organ Tissue & Transplant Organisation (SOTTO), Karnataka (Jeevsarthakathe), Police, Forensic experts, airport authorities, ambulance team, etc.
TCs work starts months before the actual successful transplant occurs. TCs role begins with the identification of the recipient, multiple sitting of counseling’s with recipient families, pros-cons of transplant, raising funds, sharing estimated expenses, document verification, ethical/legal clearance (if any) pre-transplant investigations, registration to SOTTO, Karnataka (Jeevsrathakathe), regular follow-up till actual transplant happens.
In the majority of the cases, TCs develop intimate relations with recipient family members. It is not the end, TCs also honor & recognize the supreme sacrifice made by organ donors’ families to call them to appreciate & recognize their contributions to saving many lives in various public functions. Donor families act as a motivator for others to come forward and donate organs. No transplant is possible without the presence & participation of TCs. These important members of the team are also involved in organizing awareness programs in the community.
The biggest challenge the TCs face is to counsel, and convenience relatives of brain-dead patients to donate organs. Sometimes they have to face the worst, most humiliating situations, embarrassments and irks of their relatives.
Every effort is made by the TCs to explain that, Organ donation of Brain death patients is purely voluntary & willingness of the relatives. The intensivists, treating Physicians for brain death patients are joining hands to counsel the relatives to come forward and donate organs. Once, donor’s family decides to donate organs, the entire family members are taken care of by the TCs till the body is handed over to the relatives after autopsy (if in case of MLC). It is almost 48 hours of grueling, restless work, coordinating with close to 50+ individuals, and attending hundreds of calls.
In the end, a successful transplant is a most satisfying moment of giving life to many who are in need of organs. Till the entire process of organ harvesting, and transplantation takes place the teamwork is under tremendous pressure unmindful of personal comfort and keeping their nerves under control. The hard, dedicated work, the passion for giving life to someone, and the silent tears of happiness rolling through the eyes of TCs on successful donation & transplantation are hardly recognized or suitably rewarded.
The numbers speak, the organ donation is picking up in Karnataka, compared to the previous year it is almost tripled with 133 donors have donated 197 Kidneys, 111 Livers, 38 hearts, 08 lungs, further, Heart+Lung- 03, Kidney+Pancreas-03, Skin- 33, Heart Valves-66 & Corneas- 208 making total 667 donations compared to the previous year 284 donations.
Lijamol Joseph, Chief Transplant Coordinator, SOTTO, Karnataka, Bengaluru is of the opinion, the Hospital Administrators of various transplant centres and Govt. of Karnataka should take note of the tremendous work put in by TCs in Karnataka and being part of giving new lease of life to patients with end-stage organ failures. Lijamol Joseph is of the strong view that, the work of TCs is very demanding, working odd hours (24X7), which takes a toll on their health. But she is proud that the TCs both in SOTTO (Jeevsarthakathe) & of various hospitals have successfully contributed to promoting organ donation. She further, pitches for recognition & higher rewards to the TCs to take forward the organ donation & transplant activities in the state & every effort will be made by TCs to make, Karnataka a leader in human organ donation & transplantation.
Dr. Pramod N Sulikeri, Ph.D
Sr. Transplant Coordinator ,KLES Dr. Prabhakar Kore Hospital & MRC Belagavi.
