There is a huge shortage of kidneys for transplantation in our state. This has become a major concern, as there is a steep increase in diabetic and hypertension patients, who are more vulnerable to kidney diseases. According to the president of the Indian Society of Nephrology and director of medical education, every year the number of kidney failure patients increase by 10,000 in AP.
Against the huge requirement of transplants, only a few kidneys are being transplanted. Living donors, their immediate relatives generally donate the kidneys for the transplantation.
There would be less shortage of kidneys if people are aware and accept the cadaver kidney transplants. The kidneys will be taken from brain dead persons, often victims of road accidents or brain hemorrhage in the process of a cadaver kidney transplant. Unfortunately many road accidents are happening in our state and it said that many dead bodies in which the organs are active are most often unused. There is a huge potential for cadaver transplants as a kidney can be preserved up to 3 days. Cadaver transplants should be encouraged, as there are several patients who don’t get kidneys for transplantation.
The government has decided to set up an organization called Jeevan Daan and is expected to start from April to encourage the transplantation of kidney from a brain dead people. It is to be set up at NIMS and apart from kidneys, livers and hearts will also be available here.