Kidney donation: Plea to set up single window

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kidney Federation of India (KFI), an NGO facilitating cross and voluntary donation of kidneys for the benefit of the patients, has submitted a proposal to the Government seeking a state-level single window committee for facilitating donation.Chairman of the Federation Fr Davis Chiramel met Rajiv Sadanandan, the principal secretary, Health Department and submitted the request in this regard. He had also held discussions with the Chief Minister last month.Speaking to Express, Fr Davis Chiramel said that the Federation had received applications from over 2,000 kidney patients across the state. “Everyday, I get nearly 20 applications seeking kidney transplant with relatives of the patients,”  he said.He said that if a state-level single window committee was set up, to facilitate the processing for granting permission, many precious lives could be saved. Kochouseph Chittilappally, noted industrialist, who joined the KFI as its first link, had donated his kidney to Joy, a truck driver hails from Pala, on February 23. As per the agreement, Joy’s wife Jolly had to donate her kidney to Jacob of Anchal. And in return Jacob’s wife Asha had offered to donate her kidney to John, 26, of Erumapetti in Thrissur. But, both John and Jacob died, following the delay in granting permission. Fr Chiramel said that it was the delay caused in processing the documents, to be presented before the medical committee, led to their death.But Asha was ready to donate her kidney to Joy even after the death of her husband. But her sacrifice also ended in vain owing to the delay in getting the approval, he said.John’s kidney transplant was scheduled to be held on August 3. It was five months back that Kochuseph Chittilappally offered to donate his kidney . He also called for a decision expediting voluntary and cross donation by kidney donors. The other day Fr Santhosh George of the Malankara Orthodox Church, Chennai Diocese, observed a fast in front of the Secretariat seeking permission to donate his kidney to a 16-year-old girl, Jayasree, of an impoverished family. As there is a Central Government guideline against conducting kidney transplant in the Government hospital between non-relatives, he is facing impediments in this regard.