Up until 28th June 2016, West Bengal had just one deceased organ donor whose two kidneys were transplanted to patients at SSKM Hospital and Belle Vue Clinic in 2012. But the family of Mrs. Sovona Sarkar, 71, who was declared brain dead on 23rd June 2016 decided to put West Bengal on the map of deceased organ donation and transplantation once again. Her son, Prosenjit with the support of his 84-year-old father single mindedly contacted and interacted with health department officials and doctors for four days to honour her last wish of donating her organs. As a result, a young woman and a middle-aged man with renal failure received Mrs. Sarkar’s kidneys during transplantation surgeries at Belle Vue Clinic and SSKM Hospital, a tertiary care government hospital. Her corneas were donated to the eye bank at Disha Eye Hospitals. Unfortunately, infrastructural and procedural lacunae in deceased organ transplantation in Bengal resulted in the liver, heart and lungs not being used.

“A bill will be brought in the Assembly soon, by which all health care units will be instructed to actively take part in deceased (cadaver) organ transplantation. For every brain dead patient, the hospital where the person is admitted will be required to counsel the family members. If they agree, transplantation can take place,” a senior health department official said.