The Tamil Nadu government wished to achieve zero waiting list for organ recipients from brain dead donors, state health and family welfare minister said on 30th November.

Talking to mediapersons here after receiving the best state award for the fifth consecutive year for creating awareness about organ donation, he said so far 1,325 people (brain dead) have donated 7,779 organs. "We want to achieve zero waiting list for organ recipients from bread dead donors. Kidneys are the most sought-after organ by patients," he said. Besides organ donation, Tamil Nadu stood first in eye and blood donations too, he said adding that the state had created a Guinness record in organ donation awareness.

The state was providing up to Rs 22 lakh as medical insurance assistance to those poor patients who wish to undergo life-saving organ transplantation surgeries. During the event, presided over by Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, Narayanaswamy of Dindigul (TN), who lost both his hands in an electrocution incident three years ago and later underwent 'bilateral cadaveric hand transplantation' in Chennai, was asked to light the lamp for inauguration.

Dr Ramadevi of Government Stanley Medical College Hospital in Chennai who did the surgery on the 29-year-old Narayanaswamy, using the limbs of a brain dead donor, was also awarded. According to a TN government statement, the surgery was performed on Feb.6, 2018, when the family of a 39-year-old brain dead man agreed to donate his hands with solid organs to Narayanaswamy. The donor's hands were harvested and he was fitted with prosthetic hands for his last rights.

The 13-hour surgery was performed free of cost and also the post-operative mobilisation, rehabilitation and immunotherapy. "At present Narayanaswamy is able to use both his hands for his day-to-day activities on his own without anyone's help," the statement added. Sources said in case of a living organ donor, only one kidney or a part of a liver could be donated. But if the donor is brain dead, donation up to nine organs and tissues could be done.