- An 85-year-old retired MCD official was declared brain dead after a severe stroke
- His family consented to donate his organs, honoring his values of service and compassion
- His liver was transplanted into a 68-year-old patient, and corneas donated through Nirmaya Eye Bank
An 85-year-old retired MCD official, declared brain-dead following a severe stroke, has given a new lease of life to multiple people after his family donated his organs, doctors said on Friday.
The former civic official, who also served in the health department, suffered a stroke at his residence and was initially taken to a nearby hospital before being shifted to the HCMCT Manipal Hospital in Dwarka for advanced treatment.
Despite intensive care and efforts by doctors, he could not recover and was declared brain dead on June 3, the hospital said in a statement.
Amid their grief, his family consented to organ donation, honouring what they termed his lifelong values of service and compassion.
Following the family's consent, his liver was transplanted into a 68-year-old patient, while both his corneas were donated through the Nirmaya Eye Bank, the statement said.
Dr (Col) Avnish Seth, Country Head, Manipal Organ Sharing and Transplant (MOST), said the case was significant because of the donor's age.
"Many people assume that advanced age automatically rules out organ donation, but it depends on the health and function of the organ. The family's decision has given another individual a second chance at life and will continue to impact many more through corneal donation," he said.
Dr Shrikanth Srinivasan, Chairman, Manipal Institute of Critical Care Medicine, said the family displayed exceptional courage by consenting to organ donation during a period of immense loss.
"Such acts of generosity remind us that even in our final moments, we have the power to make a lasting difference in the lives of others," he said.
According to the hospital, India ranks third globally in the absolute number of organ transplants, but the dead donor rate remains below one donor per million population.
National data shows that against an annual requirement of 25,000-30,000 liver transplants, only 4,173 liver transplants were performed last year, including 828 from dead donors.
Similarly, around 25,000 corneal transplants are conducted annually against an estimated requirement of one lakh, highlighting the need for greater awareness about organ donation.
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