Rise in demand for organ transplants, 3,697 patients in queue

Visakhapatnam: The number of patients waiting for organ transplants in Andhra Pradesh is gradually increasing. Currently, 3,697 patients are waiting for organ transplants. Every year, dozens of patients apply to Jeevandan for organ transplantation. Jeevandan is a comprehensive scheme launched by the AP government to encourage organ transplantation. However, due to limited availability of organs compared to the number of registrations, patients have to endure long waits.

In absence of suitable organ donors, patients have to rely on long-term treatments, and unfortunately, many lives are lost due to lack of timely organ transplants.

Jeevandan coordinator, Dr K. Rambabu, told Deccan Chronicle, “Currently, 2,508 patients have applied for kidneys, 1,111 for liver, 65 for heart transplants, and 13 for lung transplants. Once we find donors after matching their blood group and other medical factors, the organs collected from the brain dead are given according to the list of those registered in Jeevandan.”

According to Jeevandan, the number of people suffering from kidney, liver, and heart diseases across the state is increasing day by day, and most require organ transplant surgery. They are registering with Jeevandan, which monitors this procedure.”

According to Dr Rambabu, at Jeevandan, registrations are increasing significantly. Patients suffering from kidney and liver diseases have notably increased. These issues are affecting individuals at a younger age than ever before. The increase in victims can be attributed to poor food habits, alcohol consumption, and smoking. Many young individuals are experiencing organ damage, and after ineffective long-term treatments, they are left with no choice but to undergo organ transplant surgery. “It is concerning that almost 50 per cent of those requiring organ transplants are under the age of 40”, the doctor said.

Many victims have to wait for organ donors as the number of donors is fewer. He explained that organ transplant surgeries can be done using organs from a deceased donor or a living donor. In the cadaveric method, organs are retrieved from a person who has recently passed away and evaluated for compatibility. In the living donor method, a living person donates an organ or tissue to another person, the doctor added.