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A 17 year old girl who was declared brain dead has given a fresh lease of life to five persons in Kerala. The organ transplant was carried out using a commercial flight for the first time.
Ayona Monson, daughter of K M Monson and Anitha of Kannur district in Kerala, suffered serious injuries after falling from the building of Payyavur Sacred Hearts higher secondary school on January 12. The plus-two student was declared brain dead on Wednesday. Subsequently her family comprising parents and two siblings, decided to donate her organs.
One of her kidneys suited a patient in Thiruvananthapuram medical college hospital. Owing to the distance the authorities explored the option of airlifting in a commercial aircraft. Subsequently the kidney was brought by an Indigo flight.
Health minister Veena George's office said in a statement that it was for the first time in the state that an organ was transplanted in a commercial flight.
Ayona's other kidney and liver were transplanted to patients in Kozhikode and eyes to patients in Kannur.
State government agency Kerala State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation coordinated the organ transplant procedures. Dr Namitha, an organ transplant coordinator at Kannur government medical college, brought the kidney to Thiruvananthapuram by flight.
The police probe into the death of Ayona is progressing. There were suspicions that she was disturbed over her mother's plans to go abroad for a job.