Mumbai's Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital Performs 100 Liver Transplants

Every year, around 250,000 patients die of liver failure in India owing to liver cirrhosis. Over 25,000 patients need a liver transplant annually but only 1,100 actually manage to undergo transplantation. Reportedly, Mumbai's Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital has notched a record of 100 liver transplants since the inception of its state-of-the-art Center for Liver Transplant in 2013. The officials said that this was in sharp contrast to just 90 liver transplants carried out in all Mumbai hospitals in the past 18 years. Dr. Vinay Kumaran, head of hepatobilliary surgery and liver transplant at the hospital, said, "While 15 have been cadaveric donor liver transplants, starting with a young mother whose liver failed due to medicines for treating tuberculosis and her brother donated his liver, the others were a part of the hospital's Living Donor Liver Transplant Program."

Hospital chairperson Tina Ambani said, "People should know that every adult can be an organ donor, during life and death, irrespective of age. I believe we were all born with the ability to change someone's life. Let's not waste it. The government, health care institutions and the NGO sector will have to work together to promote organ donation, spread awareness and institute sustainable mechanisms."

In order to mark the achievement, Tina Ambani on Friday felicitated the organ donors and patients at a function in the hospital.

Source-IANS