In death, Bihar auto driver saves 4 lives

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 3

An auto driver from Bihar who arrived in Delhi on June 30 and died on July 1 has saved four lives after his family agreed to donate his organs.

Karu Singh (45) was visiting the Capital to formalise the matrimonial alliance of his daughter. After a long journey on June 30, he was asleep at a relative’s terrace when a midnight act of waking up to use a toilet proved fatal for him as he fell from the terrace.

What can be donated

• Organs: Liver, kidney, pancreas, heart, lung and intestine
• Tissues: Cornea, bone, skin, heart valve, blood vessels, nerves, tendon etc.

Types of organ donations

• Living donor: An 18-plus person during his life can donate one kidney, a portion of pancreas and a part of the liver
• Deceased donor: A person can donate multiple organs and tissues after brain-stem/cardiac death

Age limit for donation

• A living donor should not be less than 18 years of age
• Deceased donor can donate within the age limit for kidney and liver (up to 70 years); heart, lung (up to 50 years); pancreas, intestine (up to 60-65 years); cornea, skin (up to 100 years); heart valve (up to 50 years); bones (up to 70 years)

“Despite all efforts to save him, he was declared brain stem dead,” Dr Aarti Vij, head, Organ Transplant and Retrieval Organisation, AIIMS-Delhi. On being informed about the option of organ donation, Karu’s family agreed to it.

His heart was transplanted into a 40-year-old woman; a 62-year-old man received the liver; one kidney was transplanted into a 56-year-old woman and another kidney given to a 37-year-old woman. “Also, his corneas have been preserved in the National Eye Bank at AIIMS,” Dr Vij said.

A family member said, “If his organs can end the sufferings of other people, we consider it an act of righteousness.” Dr Vij flagged the huge gap in the demand and availability of organs, saying the same could only be abated if people volunteered to donate organs of their deceased loved ones.

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Tribune News Service

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