Action plan to expand organ transplant services in govt. teaching hospitals in Andhra Pradesh
The Andhra Pradesh government will strengthen government teaching hospitals to expand organ transplant services and make advanced treatment more accessible to the economically weaker sections
The Andhra Pradesh government will strengthen government teaching hospitals to expand organ transplant services and make advanced treatment more accessible to the economically weaker sections, Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav has said. Addressing the State-level Organ Donation Day awareness programme organised by Jeevandan at the Andhra University Convention Centre in Visakhapatnam on Sunday, Mr. Satya Kumar said a phased action plan was being prepared to develop 12 government teaching hospitals into full-fledged organ transplant centres. He said the initiative was aimed at reducing dependence on private hospitals and ensuring that patients awaiting organ transplants could receive treatment through the public healthcare system.
Satya Kumar said 5,935 patients in the State were currently waiting for various organ transplants. He urged families to discuss organ donation and communicate their wishes in advance, noting that the organs of a single deceased donor could save up to eight lives. Retrieval centres To improve access for poor patients, the government proposed to establish organ retrieval centres in all the 12 teaching hospitals. In the first phase, kidney transplant services would be expanded at the teaching hospitals in Visakhapatnam, Palasa, Kurnool, Vijayawada, Guntur, Tirupati and Kakinada. The government was also examining the feasibility of introducing liver transplant services by 2028 and heart transplant services in Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada and Kurnool by 2030.
He said the number of organ transplant centres in Andhra Pradesh had increased from three to nine since the coalition government assumed office, and the long-term objective was to provide comprehensive transplant services in all the 12 teaching hospitals. The Minister said the government currently provided ₹10,000 towards the funeral expenses of organ donors and that a proposal had been submitted to Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to increase the assistance to ₹1 lakh. Requests seeking contractual employment or pension support for eligible donor families were also under the government’s consideration, he added. Sindhu’s call to youth Olympic medallist and badminton player P.V. Sindhu, who attended the programme, said the courage shown by families who consented to organ donation despite personal loss was an inspiration.
Describing organ donation as the highest tribute to life, she said thousands of patients were waiting for a life-saving organ, and urged people, particularly the youth, to register on the Jeevandan portal and pledge to donate their organs.
The BriefWire