Pune: In a remarkable example of accessible healthcare, Sassoon General Hospital, Pune, has successfully performed a life-saving kidney transplant on a 24-year-old resident of Karvenagar, Pune, Sandeep (name changed), who had been battling end-stage kidney failure since 2017.
Sandeep, the sole earning member of his family, worked at a local printing shop before he was diagnosed with kidney failure.
While private hospitals quoted an unaffordable ₹15 lakh for a transplant, financial constraints forced him to rely on dialysis. However, this also meant giving up work, resulting in a complete loss of income by July 2023.
Encouraged by friends who informed him about transplant facilities at Sassoon General Hospital, Sandeep approached the hospital for support. Under the guidance of Medical Social Welfare Officer Satyawan Suravase, he received detailed counselling. His mother eventually stepped forward as a donor, giving her son a new lease on life.
The surgery was successfully conducted on May 15, by a team led by Dean Dr Eknath Pawar, Medical Superintendent Dr Yellappa Jadhav, Organ Transplant Program Head Dr Kiran Kumar Jadhav, and Dr Lata Bhoir, Head of the Surgery Department. Nephrologist Dr Sandeep Morkhandikar played a critical role in donor selection.
A multidisciplinary medical team contributed to the successful transplant, including Dr Niranjan Ambekar, Dr Suresh Patankar, Dr Rajesh Shrotri, Dr Harshad Toshniwal, Dr Vivek Barekar, vascular surgeons Dr Shardul Date, Dr Hrishikesh Parshi, Dr Vishal Sawkar, and anaesthesiologists Dr Surekha Shinde and Dr Sujit, supported by nurse Rajshree Kanade and team.
Sassoon General Hospital Treatment at Minimal Cost
Sassoon General Hospital performs kidney and liver transplants at minimal cost, thanks to the coordinated efforts of Suravase, who facilitates funding through organizations such as the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund, Oswal Bandhu Samaj Pune, Mukul Madhav Foundation, Rambha Charitable Trust, and Tata Trusts.
The hospital has issued an appeal to economically weaker patients in need of transplants to contact the Organ Transplant Social Welfare Office during working hours or visit Room 60 in the Nephrology OPD every Thursday between 2 PM and 4 PM for consultation and support.
