First Organ Transport via Commercial Flight Within the State
In a historic first for the State, an organ was transported via a commercial flight from one district to another, marking a significant milestone in organ transplantation logistics.
Seventeen-year-old Ayon Monson, a student of Sacred Heart Higher Secondary School, Payyavoor in Kannur, who was declared brain dead following a fall from a building, has given a new lease of life to five individuals through organ donation.
One of his kidneys was transported by air to Government Medical College Thiruvananthapuram. Considering the long distance between Kannur and Thiruvananthapuram and the need to ensure timely transplantation, it was decided to transport the organ via a commercial flight operated by IndiGo. The kidney reached Thiruvananthapuram Airport at 10:42 AM and was transported to the Medical College Hospital by 11:00 AM.
Ayon’s organs, including both kidneys, liver, and two corneas, were donated. One kidney was transplanted to a patient at Aster MIMS Hospital Kozhikode, the liver to a patient at Meitra Hospital, and the two corneas were allocated to patients at District Hospital Thalassery.
A Plus Two student, Ayon Monson sustained critical injuries after falling from the upper floor of his school building on January 12 at around 8:15 AM. He was initially admitted to Payyavoor Hospital and later shifted to Aster MIMS Hospital Kannur for advanced treatment. He was declared brain dead on January 14, following which his family consented to organ donation. He is survived by his father K.M. Monson, mother Anita Monson, and siblings Martin Monson and Angel Monson.
The organ transportation was facilitated through a well-coordinated system involving multiple agencies. A green corridor was arranged with the support of the Police Department to ensure swift road transfer, and the entire operation was coordinated by the Kerala State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (K-SOTTO).
