Jaipur: A 15-year-old boy was discharged from SMS Hospital Thursday, 20 days after undergoing Rajasthan’s first paediatric liver transplant, with the organ donated by a nine-year-old brain-dead girl at AIIMS Jodhpur.The teenager, who was admitted in critical condition, underwent the transplant on Aug 29 after a green corridor was created between Jodhpur and Jaipur to transport the liver. The procedure was performed free of cost under Mukhyamantri Ayushman Arogya Yojana (MAA Yojana), hospital officials said.Doctors said the boy responded well to the transplant and was stable at the time of discharge.The donor, Anjali from Pachpadra, was a Class 4 student who suffered severe head injuries after being hit by a dumper while crossing a road on her way to school on Aug 19. She was treated at AIIMS Jodhpur but was declared brain dead on Aug 27.Following counselling, her family consented to organ donation. Her liver and other organs were retrieved on Aug 29, giving a new lease of life to three critically ill patients, officials said.Dr Deepak Maheshwari, principal of SMS Medical College, described the launch of paediatric liver transplant services at SMS Hospital as a milestone for Rajasthan.“The start of paediatric liver transplant facilities at SMS Hospital and making them available under MAA Yojana is a historic achievement. Needy families will no longer have to travel outside the state for such complex procedures,” he said.The transplant marks the beginning of advanced paediatric transplant care at SMS Hospital under the state health insurance scheme, officials said.Anjali was the 86th brain-dead donor in Rajasthan whose organs were retrieved for transplantation. Officials said the transplant also highlighted the role of the state’s organ donation network in enabling life-saving procedures.
