Going by the increased need for donors in the city, hospital doctors concede that for every five to 10 transplantations, one liver transplant should be done free of cost to patients referred by the government hospital.

In the West, a declaration is taken from every two-wheeler and four wheeler license holder for donating organs if death occurs or if brain is dead. This is mentioned behind the license.

Dr. Vivekanandan S., Liver Transplant Surgeon, KMCH, said: “One donor can save eight lives” . Currently five lakh patients are waiting for organ transplant. Just as I speak, a 19-year old boy admitted at the hospital with failed liver is dying because we are unable to get a donor for him.”

“People who are declared dead cannot donate liver. But brain dead victims can donate liver, kidney, heart and lungs. To transplant, an organ should be harvested when the patient is on ventilator or at ICU, with consent from the family. Four government approved doctors will testify the death of the brain. So, it is not necessary for the heart to stop beating”, he adds.

According to the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) list on most important causes of death, liver disease is in the ninth position, kidney disease at eleventh and road accident at fourteenth.

So, Government should take initiatives to increase the count of donors and public should also come forward to donate organs.