SUNRISERS HYDERABAD & APOLLO HOSPITALS PROMOTE ORGAN DONATION

Bridging the Gap between Organ Demand and Supply through Awareness and Collaboration

In a concerted effort to raise awareness about organ donation and offer a new lease of life to terminally ill patients, Apollo Hospitals, in collaboration with the Sunrisers Hyderabad Cricket team and Jeevandan, has launched the Rise Again campaign The initiative aims to sensitize the population about the importance of organ donation and encourage individuals to pledge their organs The campaign kickstarted with a pledge ceremony at Apollo Hospitals, Jubilee Hills, attended by renowned cricketers Muttiah Muralitharan, Umran Malik, Heinrich Klassen, and other members of the Sunrisers Hyderabad team, along with esteemed medical professionals and organ recipients. India is witnessing an increasing burden of end-organ diseases Liver, kidney, heart, lung, pancreas, and intestinal transplants have become standard treatments for respective organ failures, boasting a remarkable success rate of 9095%. However, the transplantation is currently performed for less than 4% of patients in need. With over four lakh transplantations required annually, the demand-supply gap continues to widen Live donor organs, primarily kidneys and parts of livers, contribute to the majority of transplantations in India However, heart, lung, and pancreas transplants depend on cadaveric organ donations. Apollo Hospitals, a pioneer in transplantation programs since 1990, has successfully conducted 4872 transplantations till date, encompassing kidneys, liver, lungs, heart, and corneas. The hospital takes pride in its internationally acclaimed survival rates post-organ transplantation This commendable achievement is a testament to the expertise of their medical professionals, including doctors, transplant nurses, and support staff. The presence of esteemed cricketers from the Sunrisers Hyderabad team, such as Muttiah Muralitharan, Umran Malik, and Heinrich Klassen, adds immense value to the organ transplantation initiative

To address the prevailing organ shortage effectively, the program emphasizes the significance of donation after death. Each brain-dead individual has the potential to save up to seven lives by donating organs such as the liver, kidneys, pancreas, intestines, heart, and lungs Additionally, they can aid patients in need of corneas, heart valves, skin, bones, and vascularized composite tissues. Dr. Ravinder Babu affirms that the rise in deceased organ donations will not only resolve the shortage but also alleviate concerns regarding live donor safety

Dr. Swarnalatha, CEO of Jeevandhan, a deceased donor organ transplantation program under the Government of Telangana, lauded the state's organ donation rate, which stands at 5 5 per million population, significantly higher than the national average of 0 8 She acknowledged the government's unwavering support, particularly through the Jeevandan platform and financial assistance. Organ transplantation is accessible to individuals from all sections of society through Arogyasri coverage, ensuring that even the underprivileged can benefit from the program Approximately 500 patients receive transplantations in government hospitals under Arogyasri. Dr. Swarnalatha urged everyone to pledge their organs, emphasizing that organ donations can serve society long after an individual's passing.

Tejesvi Rao, CEO of Apollo Hospitals, emphasized the criticality of organ donation in saving lives. He acknowledged the substantial gap between the number of available organs for transplantation and the growing number of patients in need Rao expressed his gratitude to the Sunrisers Hyderabad team for their participation in the campaign, which aims to sensitize the public and bridge the organ shortage gap.

Hyderabad, India - In a significant breakthrough, researchers from the CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) in India, in collaboration with scientists from Australia and Panama, have successfully established a new diagnostic test for Chytridiomycosis in amphibians This infectious disease, caused by two fungal pathogens: Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) and Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal) has wreaked havoc on amphibian populations worldwide, leading to the extinction of over 90 species. Often referred to as the "amphibian apocalypse," the devastating impact of this disease has prompted urgent global attention

The researchers have made a significant stride in combatting Chytridiomycosis by developing and validating a new marker for the disease Their findings have been published in the esteemed