New Delhi: The late father of an Indian Army officer has become the first person to donate his liver in the history of Armed Forces Medical Service last week.
Seventy-two-year-old late PN Singh’s liver was transplanted successfully on a 45-year-old Hyderabad-based man suffering from an end stage liver ailment.
Major SK Singh’s father was declared brain dead following a massive stroke at the premier Army Hospital (Research & Referral) in Delhi.
The Major’s father was suffering from diabetes mellitus and chronic kidney failure.
Unlike in the West where deceased organ donation is common practice, majority of livers, transplanted in India are taken from relatives who donate half their liver, often with considerable risks.
The cadaver organ donation rate in India stands at a dismal 0.5 per million population as compared to over 30 per million in the West.
The Armed Forces have launched an awareness campaign and are encouraging relatives to donate organs once brain death occurs.
Praising the unprecedented gesture by Major SK Singh, Lt Gen LP Sadhotra, Director General Medical Service (Army) said that such selfless acts were typical of Armed Force personnel and would serve as an inspiration to others.
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