Imphal: A workshop on strengthening the organ donation and transplantation processes was held at the Conference Hall of the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS), here, on Saturday. The workshop was organised by the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS), Imphal, in association with the Multi Organ Harvesting Aid Network (MOHAN) Foundation, India.
Manipur’s Health and Family Welfare Minister, Dr. Sapam Ranjan Singh, said that the doctors have been saving and improving the lives of people who need organ transplantation. Congratulating the doctors of the JNIMS team on successfully conducting 25 kidney transplants, the minister said that it is a boon for our state. JNIMS, RIMS, and SHIJA have been doing kidney transplantation successfully in the state, he added.
Recalling the first successful kidney transplantation that took place at JNIMS, the Minister stated that the Chief Minister was elated at the successful renal transplantation in a state government institute at a minimal cost with the commitment and generosity of the team at JNIMS. The chief minister wants to make sure that people get the benefit of CMHT and PM-JAY as the government is committed to a sincere approach to the people, he said.
The Minister said that regarding organ transplantation, the Prime Minister in his 99th episode of Mann Ki Baat expressed the importance of organ transplantation, talked to the families of recipients and donors of organs, and showed his commitment to having more donors.
As far as the state is concerned, the minister said that he would walk the extra mile and extend all possible help, within the ambit of the law, to make the transplant work successfully. He said that the government is a government that feels the pulse of the people, and in every district of the state, the government has been able to provide healthcare facilities at the periphery through the primary health sub-center, etc. The Minister said that the Chief Minister wants the commitment of the doctors, the nurses, and the staff of JNIMS to provide quality healthcare facilities to the public at large. Regarding the funding of JNIMS, the minister said it is also in the government’s pipeline and appealed to all healthcare providers and staff to work with commitment and sincerity.
Minister Ranjan Singh said that the ministry has been apprised to be always ready for eventualities as there is a slight rise in COVID cases in the country. He said the Ministry has advised carrying out mock drills for preparation, and the Minister once again mentioned the commitments and responsibilities of the health care providers in fighting COVID.
On the increase of kidney diseases in the state, the minister said that it is high time to carry out research on a serious note to find out the reason and causes. He added that there is a need to coordinate with the major research centres to study minutely the reasons and bring out the possibility of giving people awareness of the causes of kidney disease as the number of kidney transplant patients has risen numerous times.
Prof. Kh. Lokeshwar Singh, Medical Superintendent, JNIMS, Imphal; Prof. L. Deben Singh, Director, JNIMS; Dr. Sunil Shroff, Managing Trustee, MOHAN Foundation; Dr. Palin Khundongbam, CMD, Shija Hospital & Research Institute Pvt. Ltd. (SHRI); Prof. H. Priyosakhi Devi, Director, RIMS; senior doctors, faculty members; nurses, and patients attended the workshop.
An update on the living kidney transplant program was presented by Prof. K. Sholay Meitei, Dept. of Urology, JNIMS. It may be mentioned that the first successful kidney transplant and the second in north-east India were done on June 18, 2022, by a team of doctors at a government set-up, i.e., JNIMS. The team was awarded a cash reward of Rs. 5 lakhs by the Chief Minister for performing the transplantation successfully, and the reward money is being utilized as a fund for organ donation only.
A booklet was also released by the dignitaries in connection with the workshop.
