Tamil Nadu tops in organ donation: C Vijaya Bhaskar, Health minister

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu leads in organ donation in the country with organs of 683 persons being harvested and donated to over 3000 beneficiaries since the setting up of the Transplant Authority of Tamil Nadu in 2008, State Health Minister C Vijaya Bhaskar said today.

This could not have been possible but for relatives of patients declared brain-dead coming forward to donate the organs, a release, quoting him, said.

The organ transplantations include 144 heart transplants,69 lung transplants, 636 liver, 1233 kidney, four pancreas,two small bowels, 618 heart valves, 1,032 cornea, 22 skin and two blood vessels, he said.

For streamlining organ transplantation, the government set up the Transplant Authority of Tamil Nadu, he said.

The Odisha government is planning to establish a similar authority there and has approached the Tamil Nadu government for support, he added.

Allocation for the health and family welfare department has been increased to Rs 8,245 crore from Rs 4,000 crore.

On medical seats, he said an additional 700 medical seats have been added to government run institutions.

Noting that the Chief Minister's Health Insurance Scheme was benefiting several persons, he said, "under this scheme the state has generated revenue of Rs 903 crore."