In the absence of willing donors, the doctors wanting to make cadaver transplant a success in Gujarat have been facing difficult times.

Cadaver transplant involves transplanting organs from a brain-dead person’s body to a needy recipient.

Over 5,000 kidney patients in the state are found to be in the last stage of the disease, says the Indian Renal Foundation. But the lack of awareness among the people has added to the woes faced by the doctors in finding donors.

Meera Shiva, of the National Advisory Council, believes that malpractices in kidney operations have frightened people.

“Blood and organ donation were never part of the Indian psyche. The medical fraternity needs to increase awareness about organ donations. Sometimes, the bodies kept in morgues are in awful state and taking organs from there can be dangerous. As these surgeries involve high risk and responsibilities, there is reluctance in doctors too to join this field of treatment,” Shiva said.

A cadaver transplant requires a nephrologist, a urologist, an anaesthesia specialist, good intensive care units and an experienced nursing staff. According to IRF, there is a crunch of doctors in specialised subjects of medicine as most medical colleges do not run specialised courses for kidney and renal diseases.

Dr Asit Mehta, a nephrologist, said: “Cadaver transplant is a less-known surgery. Most doctors get introduced to this only when organisations like Kidney Institute or IRF take an initiative to educate them.”

According to Mehta, all the cadaver transplants taken place so far are from urban areas. The scenario in rural areas is all the more complex. He said, “Many accidents and brain-dead cases occur in rural areas of Gujarat, but people either hide or do not permit the doctors to take organs.”

A cadaver can donate about nine organs— two kidneys, two eyes, liver, heart, intestine, pancreas and even skin. Out of these, kidney and liver are more in demand.

Dr Jagdeep Shah, a city-based nephrologist and a member of the Kidney Foundation, sayid: “In the absence of adequate facilities in the state, the government granted the permission for donation of only kidney and eye. There is a huge demand for heart and liver too, but we can't perform those surgeries. A brain-dead patient needs to be given

special attention and extra care which is not available in all the hospitals.”

Till a patient gets a willing donor, he has to be put on dialysis, which can cost him anything between Rs 15,000 and Rs 20,000 per month.

Naresh Patel, whose wife was discovered with both bad kidneys in 2003, has been under dialysis till date.

“It has been more than two years and we are still waiting for a donor. We have been waiting for a transplant and are ready for a cadaver also,” said Patel.