Committee alleges 12-hour delay in NOC for organ donation, police deny charge

Mumbai: The city recorded three cadaver organ donations within 48 hours, taking this year’s count to seven

Mumbai: The city recorded three cadaver organ donations within 48 hours, taking this year’s count to seven.

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However, the Zonal Transplant Coordination Committee (ZTCC) had to wait for 12 hours to get a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the Kashimira police for the organ donation of an 18-year-old brain-dead girl at Wockhardt Hospital, Mira Road, as the officer in-charge insisted on a post-mortem on March 9.

Sandeep Kadam, senior police inspector, Kashimira Police station, denied the delay saying the NOC was immediately granted after proper documents were presented to them.

Dr Bharat Shah, secretary, ZTCC, said, “The police officer was not aware of the organ donation procedure. He kept insisting on post-mortem before giving an NOC, which is impossible before organ retrieval. Post-mortem has to be done after organ retrieval. The organs required for post-mortem will not be touched.”

He said while the coordinator tried to convince the officer for six hours, the issue was escalated with him and he called up a senior police officer who then intervened to get the issue resolved.

“We are going to speak to Mumbai and Thane police about the NOC issue that the transplant coordinators are facing. The delay in getting an NOC would have led to losing the organs. The 18-year-old girl’s family donated her heart, lungs, liver and kidneys. Which means, five people got a new lease of life because of the donation,” Dr Shah added.

The other two cadaver donations took place at Dr LH Hiranandani Hospital, Powai and Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital, Charni Road.

Dr Arpita Dwivedy, head of ICU, Hiranandani Hospital, said, “A 46-year-old security guard was admitted to the hospital on March 6 to a nursing home and shifted to the hospital on March 7 with a history of being unconscious and seizure episodes. We found he had a brain haemorrhage and was brain-dead.”

The hospital team explained to the relatives about brain death and requested for organ donation. “Though other family members were reluctant, his wife agreed and took the decision of donation. She donated his heart, liver and cornea,” Dr Dwivedy added.

A total of 10 organs, including two hearts, three livers, one lung, four kidneys along with corneas, were donated.

“We are conducting regular programmes with hospitals to ensure brain-dead patients are identified on time and their relatives are counselled. The numbers are picking up gradually after the Covid-19 pandemic and we are expecting further improvement in numbers,” Dr Shah added.

After witnessing a dip in cadaver organ donations during the pandemic in 2022, the city saw 47 donations. In 2021, the city saw 31 cadaver organ donations.

(Inputs by Megha Sood)