01-08-2025
Labs for organ donation tests to come up in Wenlock, two other government hospitals in Karnataka
The government will open satellite Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics (H&I) laboratories to conduct Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) tests for cross-matching and other tests before and after organ donation, at Government Wenlock Hospital in the city and a government hospital each in Mysuru and Shivamogga, said Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dinesh Gundu Rao here on Friday.
Speaking at the State-level India Organ Donation Day programme held on the Yenepoya Medical College campus in Deralakatte, the Minister said the government has signed an MoU with Bangalore Medical Services Trust (BMST) to set up and operate the three laboratories. The laboratory at Wenlock will start functioning shortly, he said.
Mr. Rao said that with the H&I labs in the three hospitals, there would be no need to send samples to Bengaluru and wait for reports. BMST will provide grief counsellors at each of the three labs, and they will play a vital role in convincing donor families to donate organs.
The Minister said steps are being taken to strengthen facilities at the government hospitals to enable them to retrieve more organs.
Stating that Karnataka stands third in the country in terms of organ donation, Mr. Rao said last year, as many as 162 persons donated 457 organs. In the last seven months, 120 persons have donated 326 organs.
'We are doing well, but more can be done,' said the Minister.
More people are coming forward for organ donation, he said and added that 4,582 people are waiting for kidneys, while 583 are waiting for livers and 31 for lungs.
The Central government will confer the 'Excellence in organ donation' award on Karnataka on August 2 in New Delhi. A coordinator from Dharwad will receive the 'Best organ transplant coordinator award', the Minister said.
Ravishankar Shetty, State convenor of Jeevasarthakathe cadaver organ transplantation programme, said a committee comprising the District Vector Borne Disease Control officer and Superintendent of Police are formed in every district to promote cadaver organ donation.
Family members of 15 donors from Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Uttara Kannada, Chikkamagaluru, Shivamogga and Davangere districts were felicitated.
