http://www.hindu.com/2008/09/17/stories/2008091760731000.htm

Ramya Kannan

• He will report to the government directly on all matters
• He will prepare and maintain a computerised waitlist of potential organ recipients
• Will seek reports from hospitals on occurrence of brain death and transplant activities every month

CHENNAI: Following up on the three recent orders to regulate organ donation and transplantation, including cadaver-based transplant, the State government has appointed a Convenor for the Cadaver Transplant Programme in Tamil Nadu.

J. Amalorpavanathan, Reader in Vascular Surgery, Madras Medical College and Vascular Surgeon, Government General Hospital, was appointed to the post, as per a government order issued Tuesday.

In an earlier order issued on September 5 (as reported in The Hindu on September 7), the government committed itself to formulating a detailed procedure for cadaver-based transplant in government and private hospitals. It also promised to appoint a convenor to co-ordinate all activities relating to the programme. Dr.Amalorpavanathan, who is working as the transplant co-ordinator in the government hospital, has been roped in, considering his experience, and his familiarity with the issues relating to cadaver-based transplant.

Appointed in an honorary capacity, the convenor will report to the government directly on all matters relating to cadaver-based transplantation, the order says. He is expected to design and maintain a computerised waitlist of all potential organ recipients for heart, lung, liver and kidneys as received from the participating hospitals of the State. When organs become available, he will allocate them to the participating hospitals as per the guidelines issued by the government. He will also convene a meeting of the Advisory Committee, constituted under the Transplantation of Human Organs Act, once in two months, or as per requirements, to seek guidance on the detailed functioning of the State-level transplant coordination within the framework of the orders.

Among his other tasks are to seek and receive status reports from all participating hospitals on the occurrence of brain death and transplant activities every month and their outcomes; send to the government every month a consolidated status report on the cadaver-based transplantations that took place during the month; and report any violation of the rules and guidelines by any hospital to the Advisory Committee.

With the government focussing on awareness generation to increase the donations, the convenor will also co-ordinate and undertake such activities and motivation programmes for all involved in brain death certification and organ transplantation among the hospitals and the public.

The office of the convenor will be located in the Tower Blocks in the government hospital. Dr. Amalorpavanathan said the office of the Convenor invites suggestions from the participating hospitals at cadavertransplant@gmail.com and organstransplant@gmail.com.