Latest news with #Lenka
India Today
15-05-2025
- Health
- India Today
India's organ transplant tangle: Tech's there, but where are the donors?
(NOTE: This article was originally published in the India Today issue dated May 12, 2025)In death, Janmesh Lenka saved two lives. On March 1, when the 15-year-old was declared brain-dead at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Bhubaneswar, his parents made the courageous—and compassionate—decision to allow his organs to be used for transplants. Lenka's liver was retrieved and transported to the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS) in Delhi, where it was given to a child with end-stage liver failure, while his kidneys were transplanted into an adolescent at AIIMS Bhubaneswar itself. 'These procedures were impossible to do a decade is no denying the advancements made in transplant technology,' says Dr Sanjeev Lalwani, professor of forensic medicine at the JPN Apex Trauma Centre in AIIMS Delhi. An equally complex procedure was performed on a 10-month-old boy from Karur in Tamil Nadu, at the G Kuppuswamy Naidu Memorial Hospital in Coimbatore, where bone marrow from a brain-dead donor was transplanted to treat his deficiency of MALT1, a protein crucial to the immune system. A few years back, the medical diagnosis would have meant a death Organ Retrieval Banking Organisation at AIIMS Delhi, which maintains a register of brain-dead donors and promotes awareness on organ donations, has witnessed a remarkable rise in donor requests in recent years. 'India performed the third highest number of organ transplants in 2023, next only to the US and China,' says Dr (Col.) Avnish Seth VSM, head of Manipal Organ Sharing & Transplant (MOST). Not just numbers, success rates are impressive too. One-year survival rates—the usual benchmark—are around 85-90 per cent for liver and kidney transplants, 85-90 per cent for lung transplants, 85-90 per cent for heart, and over 95 per cent for pancreas the country sees a rise in non-communicable diseases—diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, chronic kidney disease etc—the damage to vital organs remains high. According to a 2023 assessment by the Union health ministry, India faces an annual demand for 175,000 kidney, 50,000 liver, heart and lung and 2,500 pancreas transplants. However, despite advancements in medical science, the supply of donated organs is heartbreakingly low. The Organ Receiving & Giving Awareness Network of India, a Delhi-based NGO, estimates the number of patients waiting for a transplant to be as high as 500, the countrywide wait list with the National Organ & Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO), updated till September 2024, 57,806 patients have been listed for kidney transplants, while only 13,426 such transplants were performed in 2023. Similarly, 19,847 are listed for liver, as against 4,491 liver transplants; 2,671 for heart transplants, as against 221 surgeries. The wait list is 1,771 for lungs, while the number of lung transplants was 197; 277 people had enlisted for pancreas transplants while only 27 got them. And while small intestine transplantation had a wait list of 92, only 16 small intestine transplants were performed in 2023. In all, 18,336 persons received 18,378 donated India's organ donation rate is less than one per million population (PMP), according to a 2024 report from the National Academy of Medical Sciences, New Delhi. To achieve self-sufficiency, the required rate is around 124 PMP. 'Many patients rely on dialysis for years, either waiting for a donor or financial support for a transplant. Many die due to lack of medical services that are affordable or accessible,' says Dr Neeraj Saraf, senior director, liver transplant, Medanta, in Gurugram. The main reasons for the abysmally low number of organ donations in India are lack of awareness, fear of disfigurement (in case of live organ donation), religious reasons and lack of faith in the healthcare CRY FOR ORGANSThe three organs most in demand remain the kidney, liver and heart. 'Kidney transplants top the list due to the high prevalence of chronic kidney disease and diabetes,' explains Dr Swapnil Sharma, consultant, HPB and liver transplant, at Wockhardt Hospitals in Mumbai. 'Similarly, liver transplants are sought-after due to alcohol-related liver diseases, hepatitis infections and fatty liver conditions. Heart and lung transplants are also needed for patients suffering from end-stage heart failure and chronic respiratory diseases caused by air pollution—a growing concern,' he families of patients are often left to despair for want of a donated organ. Samira Bhatt's father was one such patient. 'It was the worst phase of my life,' says the 39-year-old homemaker from Delhi. She checked the NOTTO website every morning to see if an organ was available for her father who had been diagnosed with end-stage liver disease. 'Despite the urgency, which I was told means you are prioritised for an organ, we never got one and he passed away,' she adds. While the urgency of transplants influence wait time, so do blood type compatibility, organ size and proximity to the hospital where the organ was Aakash Kumar, 41, an investment banker from Mumbai who lost his mother after a car accident severely injured her kidneys and heart, says, 'At the hospital, a man approached us and said he could procure the organs at a high price. We agreed. But before the deal could be made, she passed away,' he says. However, for recipients, a new organ is a fresh lease of life. 'I had chronic type 2 age 65, I had such poor vision that they predicted blindness in a few years. Last year, at age 66...a kind friend who lost her father agreed for the cornea donation and I received it. It is difficult to describe the my eyes are not my own. But I am tremendously grateful,' says Kamla Mangawa, 67, a retired banking executive from VS DECEASED DONORSSignificantly, most organ donations in India happen through live donors. For example, out of the 13,426 kidney transplants in India in 2023, 10,896 were from living donors. This trend, say experts, applies to all organs, and is a reason behind such a huge gap between demand and to a process regulated by the Transplantation of Human Organs Act 1994 (THOA), to qualify as a living donor, a person must be 18-55 years old, with a blood group matching that of the patient, be a close relative, have a healthy organ, and not suffer from serious illnesses. But a living donor can only donate one kidney, 40 per cent of the liver (the organ can regenerate) and bone marrow. For other organs, one has to depend on deceased donors. For live donations, the donor pool is also restricted to close relatives. Post-mortem donations depend on the donor being declared brain-dead—the usual condition for deceased organ donation, where there is cessation of brain and brain stem activity, but the heart beats still, and there is circulation of blood to organs, making them viable for retrieval. While most deceased donor organ transplants in India are carried out through Donation after Brain Death (DBD), organ Donation after Circulatory Death (DCD)—after circulatory and cardio-respiratory failure—is being increasingly used in the rest of the world. 'In DCD, we declare death once the heart has stopped for five minutes and then have protocols in place for rapid retrieval to prevent damage to organs. The retrieved organs may be placed in machine perfusion systems (which ensure the artificial passage of blood, or 'perfusion', through the organs) where their function is assessed before implantation,' explains Dr (Col.) TECH EDGETo meet the demand for organs, scientists are working on increasing availability from genetically modified animals, particularly pigs, trying to create bioengineered organs using 3D printing technology, and banking on stem cell research with an aim to regenerate damaged tissues/ organs.'Innovations such as laparoscopic donor nephrectomy have made kidney donation less invasive, reducing post-operative recovery time. Immunosuppressive drugs have evolved, lowering the risk of organ rejection,' says Dr Arun Kumar Balakrishnan, MD, Asian Institute of Nephrology and Urology (AINU) in Chennai. Advancements in robotic-assisted transplants are ensuring greater precision and minimal error. Using these techniques, Medanta can perform multi-organ transplants in a single surgery and can undertake liver transplants for advanced liver cancer, a procedure that a decade ago was found in medical another leap forward, there is the possibility for re-transplants—the process of replacing a previously transplanted organ with a new one—in case a transplanted organ creates problems. In 2023, a heart re-transplant was done in Karnataka. Hospitals like Apollo are also doing their bit to raise awareness, and have been setting up special teams to counsel patient families. Likewise, Manipal has the only cornea donation programme in India. The government, too, has taken the initiative to increase the availability of donor organs. As of 2025, this includes more public awareness campaigns, setting up a national eye bank registry for cornea transplants and an organ transport policy. Organs are being transported faster than ever before, with state-run and hospital-run green than anything else, awareness remains key in improving organ supply. Though Indians have their hearts in the right place—a 2018 survey by market research firm IPSOS found 74 per cent wanting to donate organs after death—lack of awareness of the process and age-old custom hold most back. 'While medical advancements continue to enhance transplant success rates, increasing donor availability remains a collective responsibility,' says Dr Navinath M., nephrologist at AINU. Only then can thousands get a second chance at to India Today MagazineMust Watch
News18
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
‘Proud of our Protectors': India's First K-Pop Star Sriya Lenka Salute's Army
Last Updated: Sriya Lenka, 23, is a member of the popular South Korean girl group Blackswan. Sriya Lenka, India's first K-pop star, has extended support to the Indian armed forces, stating she was 'proud of our protectors". Her post on Instagram Stories came in the wake of the ongoing cross-border firing and drone strikes with Pakistan, resonating well with the K-pop fans on social media. Lenka, 23, is a member of the popular South Korean girl group Blackswan. Recently, she took to the social media platform to talk about the heightened tensions between the two neighbouring nations. 'Proud of our Protecters. Jai Hind," she wrote. Her comments soon gained significant attention on X, as users lauded Lenka for expressing her views. 'Black Swan Sriya Lenka spoke in support of India. Finally an Indian k-pop idol that has the spine to speak for her people," one person wrote on X. — 💫 (@asaccelerator) May 10, 2025 Another felt 'proud" of the singer and dancer from Odisha and called her a 'real" celebrity. She real, and not those celebrities who are keeping mum about this situation to keep their Pakistani fans sated. Matlab jis thaali mein khaya, usi thaali mein chhed. So proud of you, Sriya. — ✮⋆˙Deb⁷🇮🇳⋆🪔.???? ݁ ˖ (@minbeforeyoo) May 10, 2025 One person suggest to 'keep an eye on her" as 'anti-Indian" might target her on internet. Besides Lenka, other members of the group include Fatou, Gabi and NVee. Apart from the 23-year-old, several others have shown support for Indian armed forces, with the Indian K-pop community stating they stood in solidarity with them. In recent days, social media has remained abuzz with posts from K-pop fans, who have openly criticised Pakistan. Indian K-Pop fans when it comes to support their country Jai Hind 🇮🇳 — Popplayzz (@Popplayzz1) May 9, 2025 Indian twt being shocked seeing Indian k-pop fans defending the country is hilarious 😭😭 because it's our daily work to clock ppl who hate our idols…and when it comes to our country ofc we'll do the same 🇮🇳— Nini is MESSY🐈⬛ (@ninipinkluvv) May 9, 2025 A few years ago, Lenka became the first K-pop star from the country when she emerged as a member of the multi-national group. The members of the band were reportedly selected by DR Music Entertainment, a South Korean music label, after a training period that lasted for six months. In an earlier interview with Zoom, Lenka said she looked forward to be on a 'huge stage" and performing in front of a 'massive crowd" when she was 10 years old. She said that she gets 'very emotional" whenever people call her 'India ki beti". Tensions between India and Pakistan intensified after 26 tourists were killed in a ghastly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam on April 22. In a befitting reply to Pakistan, the Indian armed forces earlier this week launched a series of missile strikes across multiple terror camps under Operation Sindoor. First Published:
