CHENNAI: A migrant labourer from Bihar, who had a fall from the second floor of a building under construction and declared brain dead by the Government General Hospital, on Tuesday gave life to three persons. His two kidneys and a liver were donated to patients in different city hospitals.
Rambabu, a 18-year-old migrant labourer comes from a family of eight members, including four sisters. He came to Chennai ten days ago, to join two of his relativeswho work in a construction firm. At the work site in Chromepet on Saturday, Rambabu fell from the second floor and lost consciousness. He was taken to the Government General Hospital.
When the condition became critical, he was later shifted from casualty trauma to the Intensive Care Unit of Institute of Anesthesia on Monday, where he was declared brain dead by a panel of doctors. “As his organs were still working successfully, they were harvested with the consent of the family members,” said R Veena, a grief counsellor of Mohan Foundation which plays a major role in counselling victim’s family at the Government General Hospital.
Veena had a tough time with the family due to language problems. She called up students of Mohan Foundation, who had enrolled for a month’S programme on organ transplant. Pallavi and Bhavana from Delhi and Gujarat, who could speak Hindi, explained to Rambabu’s family the significance of organ donation and got their consent. “Though his family was initially reluctant, they obliged to donate all organs, save cornea,” Veena said. Due to non-availability of suitable recipients, Rambabu’s heart could not be transplanted. His
heart valves were donated to Frontier Lifeline Hospital.
“Irrespective of language, caste, creed and state, the family wholeheartedly agreed to donate his organs. It shows their kindness and sympathy even at the time of tragedy,” said Dr J Amalorpavanathan, convenor of the state organ transplant registry. Rambabu’s one kidney and liver were donated to Stanley Medical College Hospital, while another kidney was harvested by the Government General Hospital.
great persons great bihari’s