Health Minister directs to formulate action plan to start liver transplant surgery at Thiruvananthapuram Medical College

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Health Minister Veena George has directed to formulate an action plan to start liver transplant surgery at Government Medical College here. The minister has directed to complete the activities in a timely manner according to the action plan and to set up a special transplant unit for liver transplant surgery as soon as possible. The directive was issued at a high-level meeting chaired by the minister.

Organ transplant surgeries cause great financial hardship for the family of a patient. Liver transplant surgery costs lakhs of rupees in private hospitals. The government has intervened in a situation where there is currently no liver transplant surgery in the public sector. The Health Department has made big preparations to start liver transplant surgery at government medical colleges in Thiruvananthapuram and Kottayam.

Recently, one patient underwent a successful liver transplant at the Government Medical College in Kottayam. Work is in progress to start liver transplant surgery at Thiruvananthapuram Medical College. The minister called the meeting to complete these activities on time.

Dr. Asha Thomas, Additional Chief Secretary in Department of Health, Dr. A. Ramla Beevi, Director of Department of Medical Education, Joint Director Dr. Thomas Mathew, Dr. Sara Varghese, Principal of Medical College, Dr. Krishnadas, Head of the Department of Gastroenterology, Dr. Ramesh Rajan, Head of Surgical Gastro Department and Dr. Lynette, Head of Anesthesia Department, were present.