Mumbai's first cadaver retrieval operation theatre at KEM

Newly inaugurated Retrieval Operation theater in KEM hospital. Pic/BMC

A BMC-run King Edward Memorial (KEM) Hospital will now train 600 doctors to retrieve organs every year. On Tuesday the civic-run hospital inaugurated the first cadaver Retrieval Operation theater (Tissue retrieval OT and training center).

Speaking about the newly-set up OT and training centre, one of the doctors from the hospital says, "There has been an acute shortage of experts who know how to retrieve organs from cadavers. That's why authorities decided for setting up a Centre with the help of experts doctors who will be trained to perform such important surgery.

Dr Sangeeta Ravat, Dean, KEM Hospital says, "it is a proud moment to be a dean of the institutions where such a training center is inaugurated. Though Mumbai is doing well when it comes to organ donation still there is a lack of awareness among the people and if a doctor doesn't know how to retrieve an organ then it will be an addition to the problem."

BMC's Additional Municipal Commissioner, Suresh Kakani who inaugurated the center says, "There is a dire need to make people aware about the organ and tissue donation. There should be an increase in organ and tissue donations in public hospitals."

The inauguration took place in the gathering of eminent transplant surgeons and physicians, hospital representatives, transplant coordinators, heads of the departments and doctors from KEM Hospital, and members of the NGOs who promote organ and body donations.

Dr Anil Kumar says, "This centre will help not only in boosting tissue donations but also in providing skill-based training in the retrieval of organs and tissues from deceased donors." There needs improvement in infrastructure for organ donation and transplantation especially in government hospitals by specifically establishing transplant units in the related departments and involvement of critical care doctors like neurologists, neurosurgeons and intensivists as they have a critical role to play in the identification and certification of brain stem death patients."