IMA urges AP government to increase aid for liver transplants

Vijayawada: Liver disease cases are increasing in modern society and the treatment facilities and assistance too should increase matchingly, stated renowned physician Dr Mohammed Rela on Sunday.

He was participating in the continuous medical education programme organised by the Indian Medical Association here.

He said liver damage occurred to some people from birth, to some people due to obesity and to others due to alcohol consumption. “The advanced treatment methods are now available in our country too. There are more than 200 treatment centers in India. The benign stage treatment will help the patients recover from the malady, he said.

Dr Rela said there was a need to increase awareness about the importance of liver transplant treatment. “If 20,000 liver transplant treatments are required annually, only 3,000 are being done.  The AP government is giving a subsidy of '10 lakh for liver transplant,” he noted, and pleaded that there be an increase in the amount.

He said donation of a liver alone would help the donor too. “It would regrow in both bodies, so patients' relatives should bravely donate a portion of their liver and give a new lease of life to their near and dear ones.”

IMA Vijayawada chapter president Dr MA Rahman said that 10 per cent of the 3000 liver transplant treatments are done every year by Rela. “Recognizing the service provided by Rela in Tamil Nadu, the government there is giving a subsidy of up to '22 lakh for each surgery,” he said and appealed to the AP government to increase its assistance here accordingly.

Others who participated in the programme were IMA Vijayawada secretary Dr Durga Rao, vice chairman Dr Manoj Kumar, Dr Chandrasekhar, Dr Cheruvu Srinivas and Dr C Sastry.