For the third time in 16 months, two organs of a brain-dead patient were harvested at SUM Ultimate Medicare (SUMUM) here and rushed to two city-based hospitals for transplantation providing a new lease of life to two critically ill patients on Wednesday.
Alekh Prasad Parida, a 59-year-old man from the Nilagiri area of Balasore district, had been admitted to SUMUM on Sunday after suffering a brain stroke.
The patient underwent a brainstem reflex test on Monday, which was found to be negative. This was followed by an apnea test that confirmed the patient was brain dead, said Dr Alok Panigrahi, Senior Consultant in the Department of Critical Care Medicine at the hospital and the treating physician.
The hospital authorities then approached the family members of the patient to find out if they would be willing to donate the patient’s organs, to which they agreed, said Dr Somnath Jena, Senior Consultant in the Department of Neurosurgery at the hospital.
The hospital then got in touch with the State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (SOTTO) to set in motion the harvesting of organs.
“Today, SUMUM marks its third multi-organ retrieval from a single donor, reinforcing our role as the first hospital in the state to reach this milestone. Organ donation is the need of the hour, and we are honoured to contribute to giving recipients a renewed chance at life,” said Dr Swetapadma Dash, Chief Executive Officer of SUMUM.
“We hope to build on these early achievements, expanding from three donations to thirty and beyond through dedicated awareness campaigns. Each donation holds the power to change lives and bring families closer — a legacy that extends far beyond a single lifetime,” she said.
Dr Dash said that SUMUM had provided employment to Ms Mrudumanjari, the widow of Prasenjit Mohanty, the first organ donor. The family’s decision to donate his organs benefited four recipients. She is currently working in the Department of Radiology at SUMUM.
“Acts of compassion like these remind us of the profound impact organ donation can have, and we believe it deserves every encouragement,” she said.
The first instance of harvesting organs from a brain-dead patient at SUMUM occurred in June 2023, when five organs were harvested and sent to hospitals in New Delhi and Kolkata for transplantation.
After nine months, two organs of another brain-dead patient at SUMUM were harvested and sent for transplantation to hospitals in Mumbai and Kolkata.
The organ donation procedures were being done in adherence to all the rules and regulations of SOTTO, she said.
Brig. (Dr) Biraj Mohan Mishra, Chief of Medical Services in the hospital, said SUMUM had been playing a leading role in organ donation.