Indus Valley Times

To set up pediatric liver transplant services at SCB Medical College Hospital, Cuttack

By Payal Banerjee

Bhubaneshwar, July 14 : Aster CMI Hospital, Bengaluru signed an MoU with the Government of Odisha for functionalization of Paediatric Liver transplants in the state. The MOU was signedin the presence of Hon’ble Health and Family Welfare Minister  of Odisha, Shri Naba Kishore Das;  Shri Nikunja Bihari Dhal IAS, Principal Secretary to Government of Odisha, Health & Family Welfare Department; Prof.(Dr.) Rama Raman Mohanty, Director, Medical Education and Training (DMET), Odisha,Prof. (Dr.) Umakant  Satapathy, Addl.Director, Medical Education and Training (DMET), Odishaand Mr. Ramesh KumarS, CEO, Aster CMI Hospital, Bangalore, today. Under this agreement, Aster CMI Hospital will set up paediatric liver transplant unit at SCB Medical College Hospital at Cuttack.

 Through this MoU, Aster CMI Hospital will also provide education for the public, doctors, nurses and other health personnel, undertake capacity building training programs, establish organ sharing registries and help in the implementation of best practices. Doctors from Aster CMI Hospital will screen children at SCB Medical College, Cuttack and children who need liver transplants will be referred to Aster CMI Hospital for transplant. Odisha government will bear the cost and patients with BPL card will be eligible for free transplants under this scheme.

Commenting on the MoU, Prof. (Dr.)Umakant Satapathy, Addl. Director, Medical Education and Training said “After serial discussion with the different experts and agencies this arrangement has been finalised to functionalise the liver transplant unit at SCB MCH Cuttack. This MoU wiil be for the paediatric liver transplant. Govt is also processing for empanelment for adult liver transplant which will be done soon. This will help the needy people of Odisha requiring liver transplant.”

Explaining further about the MoU, Mr. Ramesh KumarS, CEO, Aster CMI Hospital, said, “Over the last two years, we have been discussing with the Government of Odisha on the possibility of providing clinical medical services directly in the form of an MoU with Aster Hospitals. The mandate of the MoU is to set up a unit and develop each aspect, care and service that is required in liver transplants. We will be providing training of doctors, nurses at SCB college for pre and post-transplant care for these patients. Under this MoU, we will be able to provide pediatric liver transplantation to the children who meet the criteria and are referred by the Government of Odisha. Monthly clinics will be conducted by our doctors to help identify and manage advanced Pediatric liver diseases.”

Dr. Sonal Asthana, Lead Consultant – Hepatobiliary & Transplant Surgery, Aster CMI Hospital, “Every year more than 2,000 children in India requires life-saving liver transplants. Unfortunately, only 10% of these transplants are actually performed. With this MoU, we will be helping children to undergo liver transplant at an affordable rate, at about 20% to the actual cost of the transplant. This is our flagship scheme and a unique one in India. Funds will be collected through CSR, crowdfunding, support from hospitals and various other pharmaceutical companies to support the patients during and post the transplant. We are already providing this scheme to patients who are coming directly to us. With this MoU, we will be able to identify children who need the transplant and offer them lifesaving transplant.”