Srinagar Aug 12: Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) Soura is planning to have a life-saving liver transplant facility which is still a ‘distant dream’ in J&K hospitals amid a surge in liver disorders, officials said.
In this regard, Director SKIMS, Dr Mohd Ashraf Ganaie on Monday chaired a meeting to see the feasibility of starting liver transplant at the institute.
The meeting was attended by Additional Director, Dean Medical Fraternity and heads of different departments like gastroenterology, anaesthesia, radio-diagnosis blood transfusion and other departments.
“SKIMS is working out how it can make liver transplant a reality and the director is particularly keen to start the facility so that patients have the facility in the valley only and so that they do not need to travel outside for the same,” PRO SKIMS, Kulsum Bhat said.
The meeting also discussed the required infrastructure, manpower and machinery and other requirements in order to make the live transplant facility a reality at SKIMS.
“We have the capacity but there are additional needs that are being worked out. At SKIMS we are planning to have more detailed meetings in the coming days,” she said.
Previously, SKIMS had charted out strategies and were in connection with some best liver transplant centres of India and had sent doctors for training.
On the other side, doctors of valley tertiary care hospitals express concern over the non-availability of the liver transplant facility in J&K hospitals.
A doctor at GMC said at many places across India, where liver transplant facilities are available, there are special health teams helping people for donations too.
Doctors say liver disease is a major health concern for humans as it encompasses a wide range of potential issues that cause the liver to fail in performing its essential functions.
He said the main case behind liver disorders in the valley is hepatitis, in the long run, it affects the liver. “When it is serious, transplantation is the only option,” he said.
Suggesting a need to have a separate management to cure liver transplant patients, the doctor said liver diseases are very common in Kashmir adding if serious patients don’t get their organ transplant for a long time they die.
Attributing many types of infections both medical and surgical including hepatitis a major cause of the disease the doctor said patients who need a transplant are compelled to go outside J&K, which is unaffordable for many.
He said if serious patients don’t get their organ transplant for a long time they die. “We need to do something apart from surgeries to cure the disease.”
“Liver cancer is also very common here. We have to strengthen treatment. We have to inform people at large about liver disorders so that patients are detected at the earliest,” he said.
Liver is a vital organ in the human body. Almost all the drugs, foods, and water constituents are metabolized and detoxified in the liver. Liver diseases such as hepatitis, jaundice, cirrhosis, and liver cancer are continuously on the rise in recent years.
