Ernakulam General Hospital has created history by successfully performing the first heart transplant surgery in the country at a district-level hospital. The heart of a native of Chirakkara, Kollam, who was declared brain-dead following a road accident, was transplanted into a 22-year-old woman from Nepal, giving her a new lease of life.

With special permission from the court, Kerala extended treatment facilities to the young woman, who was brought to the state for advanced care as she could not afford the high cost of heart treatment in her home country.

Following the donor’s brain death, seven organs were donated. One kidney was transplanted at the Thiruvananthapuram Government Medical College, the second kidney at Travancore Medical College, Kollam, and the liver at KIMS Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram. In addition, two corneas were donated to the Regional Institute of Ophthalmology, while the skin was donated to the Skin Bank of the Thiruvananthapuram Government Medical College.

Extensive coordination at the government level ensured the smooth conduct of organ retrieval, transportation, and transplantation. The heart was airlifted to Ernakulam in a Home Department helicopter, and the Police Department arranged green corridors to ensure uninterrupted movement to the respective hospitals. This large-scale mission, jointly undertaken by the Health Department, Medical Education Department, Police, and district administrations, was coordinated by K-SOTTO.

Elaborate arrangements were made at Ernakulam General Hospital for the transplant surgery. The hospital had earlier set national benchmarks by successfully completing the first open-heart valve replacement and kidney transplant surgeries among district-level hospitals. This landmark achievement reflects Kerala’s strong commitment to upgrading public healthcare and providing modern medical facilities to the common people.