Army veteran’s organs save lives, after fatal accident in Lucknow

LUCKNOW: A 61-year-old veteran of the Army Medical Corps, who sustained severe head injuries in a road accident on January 3, was declared dead on Tuesday. His family consented to organ donation, enabling a life-saving operation coordinated across multiple military and medical institutions.A specialized team from Army Hospital Research and Referral (R&R), Delhi, faced delays due to dense fog but departed at 9.30 pm Tuesday on and reached Lucknow by 11 pm. By early Wednesday, two kidneys, a liver, and a pair of corneas were retrieved from the donor.One kidney was successfully transplanted into a patient at Command Hospital, Lucknow. The recipient is stable and has started passing urine. The liver was transported to Delhi for transplantation, while the corneas were preserved. The second kidney, designated for SGPGIMS Lucknow, was found unfit for reuse.The operation involved seamless coordination between Command Hospital Lucknow, Army Hospital R&R Delhi, and SGPGIMS Lucknow.The entire operation was led by Major General Alok Bhalla, the commandant of Command hospital Lucknow. His team comprised Col Priya Ranjan (GI Surgeon), Col Bharat (Urologist), Lt Col Sumanlata (Transplant OT Matron), Maj Sonam Pandey and Maj P Raifunissa (Coordinators), and Lt Col Vivek Kumar (Anaesthesiologist).The Delhi team included Col Priyaranjan, and others.This marks the second organ transplant at Command Hospital in the past three months. After the procedure, military officials paid homage to the veteran, issued a certificate of appreciation, and facilitated the dignified transfer of his mortal remains..