Medical board nod for Swathi’s surgery

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With rare speed, the government on Friday untied the red tapes paving the way for the liver transplant of young Swathi Krishna, who is battling for life for the last couple of days.

A medical board met at Kottayam Medical College in the morning at the instruction of health minister V.S. Sivakumar to clear the application of Swathi’s aunt Rainy Joy to donate her liver to Swathi.

A four-member team of doctors at Amritha Institute of Medical Sciences (AIMS) here, headed by Dr Sudindra Natha, quickly started the 12-hour-long surgery at 3.30 pm.

On Thursday night, Rainy had submitted an affidavit before the second class judicial magistrate in Kochi, saying she was donating the liver on her own and without any pecuniary benefit, to save the life of her niece. A copy of the affidavit was sent to the medical board, helping it to take the decision.

Swathi, a student of Plus Two at MKM Higher Secondary School at Piravom, also got financial help from her school.

An amount of Rs 6.5 lakh was collected by the students and staff and Rs 14 lakh was deposited at the hospital by noon. The surgery was expected to cost Rs 17 lakh.

Swathi was admitted to AIMS with liver complication two weeks ago after a hepatitis attack got worsened. Two days ago, the doctors pronounced that her liver was dead and she was shifted to a ventilator.

Initially, her mother Raji was fixed as the donor, but doctors later ruled that out as she was suffering from a heart ailment.

Following this, Rainy came forward but the law regarding organ donation did not permit it. The family had a sigh of relief after the medical board took a favourable decision.