N. Gopalakrishnan, Member Secretary, TRANSTAN, and L. Arul Sundareshkumar, Dean, Madurai Medical College, along with students, at the inauguration of The Organ Donation Volunteers Club, on Monday.
| Photo Credit: R. ASHOK
The Students’ Charter for Deceased Organ Donation programme was inaugurated at Madurai Medical College here on Monday.
N. Gopalakrishnan, Member Secretary, Transplant Authority of Tamil Nadu (TRANSTAN), said, “The number of patients suffering from organ failure is increasing. Despite sophisticated medical infrastructure, organ failures caused due to rapid climate change, unpredictable weather conditions, heat waves, among others, could not be addressed.”
“The demand for organs like kidneys and hearts for transplant surgeries has increased, but the supply of available organs remains low,” he added.
In such cases, the programme could ensure that organs from brain-dead individuals who die prematurely from causes like road accidents or brain haemorrhage were not wasted but instead used to give a new lease of life to those in need.
Dr. Gopalakrishnan stated that the State government was taking preventive measures to reduce premature deaths from accidents and brain haemorrhages, but when they do occur, the initiative helps to save organs from being burned or buried and instead utilised to save fellow human beings.
“The programme was first launched at Madras Medical College and has since been expanded to other colleges like Kilpauk, Stanley, Coimbatore, and most recently, Madurai Medical College. Interested students can participate to create awareness and effectively communicate this plan to the public,” he informed.
L. Arul Sundaresh Kumar, Dean, Madurai Medical College, said, Government Rajaji Hospital was the first government hospital in the State to perform a successful heart transplant surgery.
“Also, in the Southern district, the first liver transplant surgery was performed in GRH. In kidney transplant, the hospital ranks first in the State,” he added.
As transplantation of bone, skin, cornea, among others were performed regularly, patients were waiting to have their heart transplanted. Once the hospital gets a suitable in-house heart, the transplant could be immediately performed, he noted.
Published – September 08, 2025 09:23 pm IST
