Kolkata: Family Donates Eyes Of Daughter, After She Dies Waiting For A Kidney Transplant

36-year-old Sutapa Bose from Kolkata died on Tuesday morning after a long wait for a kidney. She left the mortal world succumbing to a cardiac arrest. Though she died because of a dearth of available organs, her family did something noble on her behalf. They urged the doctor to help donate Sutapa’s organs so that others don’t meet the same fate. Though it was late to retrieve her organs, the doctors retrieved the two corneas that will be able to gift vision to two.

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Delay cost her life
Sutapa was undergoing regular dialysis for over one-and-a-half years due to renal failure. Her doctor had recommended kidney transplant as a long-time solution. However, no donors were available. After a long wait, a donor was found. The delay in the transplant costed her life. She was supposed to get the transplant done by the end of this month.

The stipulated time had passed to retrieve Sutapa’s organs after death. The hospital in Dumdum, where she was admitted, got in touch with Disha Eye Hospitals in Barrackpore. Her corneas were collected by Prova Eye Bank. Sutapa’s family believes that if the transplant had taken earlier, she wouldn’t have died.

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Time for change, time for action

In India, over 2 lakh people are in need of Kidney transplant, however, only 3% of the demand for transplants are met. Only 15,000 can afford kidney treatments of which 7,000 can afford transplants. This is despite 20,000 people are reported to have sold their kidneys. The Logical Indian appeals to the governments to take stock of the supply-demand crisis when it comes to kidneys and the affordability for treatment. The central government and the state government should empower and ensure the government hospitals are equipped to meet the demand for kidneys.