PGI witness the first Muslim to donate organs in Chandigarh

Chandigarh: The Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) had witnessed the first case in which a 50-year-old Muslim man gifted his organs to two needy patients on Thursday after he was declared brain-dead.

The man was hit by a vehicle while he was riding on his bike and was brought to PGI on Tuesday. He is survived by wife and children.

Initially the family was hesitant to donate the organs but after the doctors counseling they agreed. A PGI doctor said. “After our counseling, the family agreed for the noble cause. Two kidneys were harvested and successfully transplanted.”

“My father is a hero,” said the deceased’s son. “In the month of Ramzan, he helped needy people.”

The deceased organs were successfully transplanted into two recipients and their conditions are stable. One of the family member of the recipients said. “We have no words to convey our gratitude to the donor family for giving my father a second chance to live.”

Dr Vipin Kaushal, nodal officer at ROTTO PGIMER, told Chandigarh Newsline that “There cannot be a better lesson in humanity and secularism than organ donation”.

He said. “The way public is supporting the cause is magnanimous indeed. We salute the donor families.”

Another doctor at PGI said. “We are happy people are coming forward. We look forward for more such cases. This is for the first time at PGI that a Muslim family has agreed for organ donation.”