Exclusive organ retrieval centre at Nimhans

The National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (Nimhans) in Bengaluru will have a centre to retrieve organs of those who are declared brain dead.

It will be the first hospital in the state to have an exclusive organ retrieval centre.

"Nimhans will be given the licence to retrieve organs within the hospital and it will be the first and only centre for retrieval of organs, but not for transplant," said Dr T S Prabhakar, joint director (medical), health and family welfare department, Karnataka.

After retrieval, the organs are transported to the recepient for transplant.

He added that the proposal is awaiting the health commissioner's approval and the licence is expected in three to four days.

The institute's casualty department receives between 60 and 100 accident and stroke patients a day and is in need of a retrieval centre for organs.

On campus

The retrieval centre is being set up on the campus to avoid administrative delays and to eliminate the need to shift the body to another hospital to retrieve organs.

Nimhans is an institute for mental health and has neurologists and neurosurgeons but lacks specialists for transplantation of organs like kidneys and livers.

This had to be addressed by bringing in specialists from the hospital where the recipient of the organ is registered with Nimhans for its retrieval, Dr Prabhakar said. "We have a licence for valve retrievals. For retrieval of other organs, we used to send patients to other hospitals after examining them," said Dr B N Gangadhar, director, Nimhans.

Dr Prabhakar said that around 25 doctors in Nimhans can certify brain deaths.