Brain-dead labourer's organs donated

Organs of a daily wage labourer were donated after he was injured in an accident on Monday morning and was declared brain-dead.

Chikkanna (45), a native of Gollaradoddi in Maddur taluk, was travelling in a goods auto with three persons, carrying sheep and goats. The vehicle had an accident at Acchalu village on Kanakapura Main Road.

While Chikkanna sustained severe head injuries, his co-passenger Mariyappa died of a cardiac arrest. The third passenger and the driver of the auto escaped with minor injuries.

Sarala A, the associate general manager for transplantation with BGS Global Hospital, said that Chikkanna's head injuries were so severe that the doctors ruled out surgery. Following tests, they confirmed that the labourer was brain-dead.

"We counselled Chikkanna's wife on organ donation and she agreed to harvest his organs and donate it to recipients who are waiting," Sarala said.

While a 57-year-old man received Chikkanna's liver, his kidneys were donated to two men, aged 48 and 61.

His skin was donated to the Victoria Skin Bank, corneas to Narayana Nethralaya and heart valve to Narayana Hrudayalaya.

Chikkanna is survived by his wife and three children. His 12-year-old daughter is the oldest and sons are aged five and three.

One of Chikkanna's relatives, Nagaraj, said the labourer was finding it harder to make ends meet and his death would further plunge the family into more poverty.

"We need some assistance from the government to ensure the children don't suffer in poverty," he said.

Sarala said if Chikkanna's wife agrees, the hospital can accommodate the children in its residential school, run by Adi Chunchangiri Math.

Mariyappa's eyes were also donated.

Transplant authority

Established in 2007, the Jeevasarthakathe Transplant Authority of Karnataka, earlier known as Zonal Coordination Committee of Karnataka, has coordinated 303 donations, benefiting 895 recipients. The agency had facilitated seven organ donations in January alone, while it has 3,181 registered recipients waiting for donations.

Increasing awareness

Dr Kishore Phadke, convener, Jeevasarthakathe Transplant Authority of Karnataka,
said there is an increasing awareness on organ donation among all sections of the society. As a result, more people are consenting to harvest the organs of their brain-dead relatives.

"It's mandatory for hospitals receiving brain-dead patients to counsel their families on organ donation. This has also contributed to the increasing numbers of organ donation in the city," Dr Phadke said.