Tide seems to have changed for Latur residents. On Tuesday, the drought-hit city received around 5 lakh litres of water through trains and on Wednesday, a 16-year-old boy from Latur received a donor heart, giving him a new lease of life.
While in the first case, the government played an instrumental role to make things possible, in the second, the doctors not only carried out a successful surgery, but also managed to arrange the entire cost of the transplant — amounting to Rs25 lakh — with the help of philanthropists and trusts.
Rahul Karad, son of a drought-affected farmer in Latur, had to drop out of school after he was diagnosed with dilated Cardiomyopathy — an end stage heart disease. After waiting for almost four months in Mumbai, the family got a ray of hope after they received the news that a family of a 22-year-old boy admitted to Mahavir Hospital in Surat agreed to donate his heart. The donor was declared brain dead following a head injury during an accident.
"Almost a year after being diagnosed with the disease, we running around different hospitals for his treatment. In September, doctors from Sir JJ Hospital offered some treatment but six months later my son's condition deteriorated. When we came back to Mumbai doctors suggested that transplant was the only option. Then JJ hospital directed us for to Fortis hospital," said Jyotioram Karad.
He added: "I never believed such a high-end surgery could performed given the cost involved. I am really thankful to the hospital for helping us. I have two children and given the situation in Latur, we could not afford to admit Rahul in a private hospital."
The donor's family consented for donation of heart, liver, kidneys and corneas, which were donated to deserving patients across the city. Airport and traffic authorities of both cities came together to swiftly lay the Green Corridor between Surat and Mumbai for the transportation of organs.
Post assessment and evaluation, Dr Anvay Mulay, head of cardiac transplant team, Fortis Hospital in Mulund retrieved the heart from the donor in Surat and got it to back to Mumbai in 1hr 19mins — covering distance of 269km.
As the preserved heart was moved to the operation theatre, the cardiac transplant team led by Dr Mulay, along with Dr Vijay Agarwal, head of pediatric cardiac surgery, successfully carried out the surgery and the recipient was shifted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for recovery.
"Every passing day was crucial as we kept praying for a donor heart to save his life. His condition was deteriorating. In the last two months, he was admitted 4-5 times but had to be discharged as the donor heart was either not suitable or the blood group did not match," said Agarwal.
He said that Rahul was referred by JJ hospital's Dr Nagesh Waghmare, a cardiologist. Hospital sources said that since the father was a farmer and his financial condition was poor, efforts were made to get in touch with philanthropists and trusts.
Dr S Narayani, zonal director, Fortis Hospital, said: "For this surgery, the expenses were borne by well wishers, donors and philanthropists. We are glad that we could save his life as last week we lost a 24-year-old Punekar as we kept waiting for a donor heart. I strongly feel that the momentum has to pick up for us to be able to help more such patients with end-stage cardiac failure."
Sources at the hospital said that post operation, philanthropists are also keen in taking care the post-operative medicines for a year which will cost around Rs30,000 per month.
