Rational thinking, commitment and devotion to duty worked wonder by saving three lives, creating a historic moment in the medical history in Kolkata. One life was lost but it supported ve lives following an unprecedented gesture of the parents of a brain dead teenager. It all started when a young man was killed in a road accident in a far off place from the city but his exceptionally rational parents showed the true spirit to donate their loving son’s active organs to save lives of three bed-ridden patients. Besides, corneas of the road accident victims would be transplanted in the eyes of two blind men. This might bring a ray of hope in their lives to seethis nice world.
Eminent doctors from New Delhi and Kolkata jointly made a mark in retrieving organs and implant those on the desperate patients. Cadaveric transplantation in our country and particularly in Kolkata is rare. The reasons behind this are social stigma, lack of infrastructure and logistic support. But, this time Kolkata Police has done a remarkable job. Trafc Sergeants did spectacular run to clear 17km stretch of road for safe passage of the most precious organs within 13 minutes to ensure that those organs could be transported and preserved safely for their properuse. Ultadanga Trafc Guard of Kolkata Police laid the special Green Corridor in consultation with doctors of Apollo Gleneagles for smooth passage of the retrieved organs transporting them safely within least possible time. The Sergeants of Ultadanga Trafc Guard lead special convoy for transporting organs to Seth Sukhlal Karnani Memorial Hospital popularly known as SSKM before those could be implanted safely to the three separate patients, who were in need for kidney and liver. While retrieval of organs was done at Apollo Gleneagles on Eastern Metropolitan Bypass, their implants hadtaken place in the government-run SSKM hospital.
It was a question of ghting with time to keep the retrieved organs in good condition before they could be implanted in the recipients’ bodies. Concerned police ofcers did not take any chance and laid out all possible arrangements including alternative routes to ensure that the organs remain safe for the transplantation. From Apollo Gleneagles Hospital, the vehicle carrying the retrieved organs had to pass through Maa yover, Circus Avenue, AJC Bose Road yover before reaching SSKM where doctors carried out the crucial operation without loss of time. Those retrieved organs were kept in Custodiol HTK uid — a frozen, icy liquid to keep them fresh.
Ofcer in Charge of the Ultadanga Trafc Guard Tanmoy Upadhyay said “Our plan was ready” adding that the ofcers of other trafc guards were also on the different roads along the way for a full proof transportation.
While kidney and liver were brought to SSKM Hospital for implant, two corneas were sent to Disha Eye Hospital located in Barrackpore, about 15kms away, for their appropriate use.
The organs were retrieved from the body of the teenager Swarnendu Roy, who was the victim of a fatal road accident in Basirhat in North 24 Parganas. After initial treatment in the locality, the teenager was brought to Apollo Gleneagles where he succumbed to his injuries. His father, Chandrasekhar Roy offered to donate organs of his loving son after he was declared brain dead by the hospital authorities. His decision has become a trend setter and will pave the way for such rational thinking which has saved three precious lives. His two corneas would help two more people to seethe world. One death brought back ve lives. A wise decision follows a determined action with rational thinking.
By Our Special Correspondent
