Kidney transplant centre at Bikaner’s PBM Hospital awaits govt nod to start operations

Jaipur: As hundreds of chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients across western Rajasthan continue to endure life on dialysis, a fully constructed, medically-equipped Kidney Transplant and Organ Retrieval Centre at Bikaner's PBM Hospital lies unused and waiting for the govt's operation go-ahead.Govt-run SP Medical College has facilities for kidney transplants at PBM Hospital, a modular operating theatre, an advanced ICU, trained staff, and a 3D-4K laparoscopic system in place. Yet, patients like Arif Rar of Bikaner, are having to travel outside of the state to seek treatment. Rar, who recently underwent a kidney transplant in Ahmedabad, says the price of seeking treatment outside the state came at a steep cost. "We spent significant money on travel, stay, and surgery," he said.SP Medical College officials said they have all facilities for renal transplants at PBM Hospital, but the health department's green signal for kidney transplants is still awaited. "A team inspected the kidney transplant centre two days ago. It will give its report, and on that basis, we will be granted permission," said Dr Gunjan Soni, principal and controller, SP Medical College.The hospital has two modular interconnected operation theatres with HEPA filters, a separate emergency operating theatre other than two transplant operating theatres, a high dependency unit, ICU, equipment and lab facilities. It also claims it has the necessary medical and nursing staff along with operating theatre technicians.On May 17, in a formal appeal to CM Bhajan Lal Sharma by Mahesh Dewani, founder of the Kidney Dialysis & Transplant Foundation, whose wife is also a dialysis patient, Dewani said, "We are not asking for a building to be constructed, but simply for the govt to operationalise what is built. Permission for kidney transplants at PBM Hospital will help kidney patients from Bikaner and nearby districts." Jaipur: As hundreds of chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients across western Rajasthan continue to endure life on dialysis, a fully constructed, medically-equipped Kidney Transplant and Organ Retrieval Centre at Bikaner's PBM Hospital lies unused and waiting for the govt's operation go-ahead.Govt-run SP Medical College has facilities for kidney transplants at PBM Hospital, a modular operating theatre, an advanced ICU, trained staff, and a 3D-4K laparoscopic system in place. Yet, patients like Arif Rar of Bikaner, are having to travel outside of the state to seek treatment. Rar, who recently underwent a kidney transplant in Ahmedabad, says the price of seeking treatment outside the state came at a steep cost. "We spent significant money on travel, stay, and surgery," he said.SP Medical College officials said they have all facilities for renal transplants at PBM Hospital, but the health department's green signal for kidney transplants is still awaited. "A team inspected the kidney transplant centre two days ago. It will give its report, and on that basis, we will be granted permission," said Dr Gunjan Soni, principal and controller, SP Medical College.The hospital has two modular interconnected operation theatres with HEPA filters, a separate emergency operating theatre other than two transplant operating theatres, a high dependency unit, ICU, equipment and lab facilities. It also claims it has the necessary medical and nursing staff along with operating theatre technicians.On May 17, in a formal appeal to CM Bhajan Lal Sharma by Mahesh Dewani, founder of the Kidney Dialysis & Transplant Foundation, whose wife is also a dialysis patient, Dewani said, "We are not asking for a building to be constructed, but simply for the govt to operationalise what is built. Permission for kidney transplants at PBM Hospital will help kidney patients from Bikaner and nearby districts."
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