Heart transplant patients at Lissie Hospital on road to recovery

Kochi: Two patients who recently underwent heart transplants at Lisie Hospital in Kochi are recovering well. Dr Jose Chacko Periyappuram, who led the surgeries on Ajin Elias and Avani Krishna, said that their health condition is satisfactory. They have started eating and talking and will be shifted to a room in two to three days. He also said that false propaganda has hindered organ donations after brain death and hopes these surgeries will create awareness and boost organ donation, which has been slow. Lissie Hospital director Fr Paul Karedan on Monday said that the successful completion of two heart transplants within 36 hours was possible due to the efficient work of the chief minister and Kerala State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization. Minister P Rajeev intervened late at night and contacted the chief minister to arrange a helicopter for organ donation. Consequently, a helicopter from Chalakudy was made available for free. Although there was a suggestion to use a helicopter for the second surgery, concerns about the time it would take to bring the child from Kollam to Kochi led to abandoning that plan, Fr Karedan said. He thanked the police, media and the public for their cooperation in facilitating the organ donations smoothly. The families of Ajin and Avani expressed gratitude to the families of Isaac George and Biljith Biju, who donated the hearts. Dr Periyappuram and the medical team were honoured by the Lissie Hospital management during the event.