SUM Hospital harvests organs from brain-dead patient, sends them to other hospitals for transplantation

Bhubaneswar, Sept 24: In a remarkable gesture of humanity, the liver and both kidneys of a 43-year-old accident victim were harvested at the Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM Hospital (IMS and SUM) in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday and sent to different hospitals for life-saving transplantations.

The donor, Bablu Dhal of Barada village in Bhadrak district’s Tihidi block, had sustained critical injuries in a road accident near Tangi in Cuttack district on September 18. Initially admitted to SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack, he was later shifted to IMS and SUM Hospital, where he was declared brain dead on September 22.

Honoring his memory, Dhal’s family decided to donate his organs to give others a chance at life. Following coordination with the State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (SOTTO), doctors harvested his organs. One kidney was transplanted at SCB Medical College, while the other was sent to AIIMS Bhubaneswar. The liver was taken to a private hospital in the city for another patient in need.

Hospital authorities confirmed this was the fifth such organ donation at IMS and SUM with family consent. A solemn guard of honour was given before Dhal’s body was handed over to his family.