Dehradun. In 1998, doctors at Apollo Hospital started the initiative to perform liver transplants in children for the first time in India. Then the doctors successfully transplanted a 20-month-old child who today himself is serving patients by becoming a doctor. This success encouraged the doctors, as a result of which now after 25 years, the doctors of Apollo Hospital have successfully performed liver transplant on a total of 4300 patients not only from India but from more than 50 countries of the world, of which 515 are children. For all of them, Apollo’s doctors are no less than a lifesaver who gave them a new life with their experience and knowledge.
Apollo Hospitals Group organized a celebration to mark 25 years of the Pediatric Liver Transplant Program in India. During this, famous film actress Ms. Dimple Kapadia was also present, who after listening to the entire journey of Apollo Hospitals and patients, said that in the film Dil Chahta Hai, my character was in the form of Tara Jaiswal who dies due to the silent killer liver cirrhosis. Is. Then Tara dies because treatment did not exist in India but today liver transplantation is a life-saving therapy that saves lives every day.
In the same program, it was also revealed that the Apollo Transplant Program is one of the largest and most comprehensive programs in the world, in which more than 1600 organ transplants are done every year. Apollo’s liver transplant program has a success rate of 90 percent which is a symbol of quality and hope for patients around the world. Many major achievements have been achieved so far in liver, kidney, heart, lung, intestine and pancreas transplantation.
Along with the doctors, those who had undergone successful transplant in the last 25 years and their families were also present in this programme. During the meeting with him, actress Dimple Kapadia said that as we move ahead in life, we often start ignoring the unsung hero of the body i.e. the liver. While we know that the liver is a very important organ that tries to clean the blood, store energy and produce essential proteins.
In simple terms, it is a silent guardian that protects us from harmful toxins and keeps us healthy but it can get damaged and when that happens the results can be devastating. She said that I would like to congratulate the Apollo team and wish them all the best for their commitment to saving the lives of patients.
Doctors told in the program that the name of the 20 month old child who underwent liver transplant for the first time in 1998 is Sanjay and today he himself is a doctor. Similarly, the transplant of a girl named Prisha was also successful, who is the 500th child transplanted in Apollo. On this occasion, Dr. Preeta Reddy, Vice Chairperson, Apollo Hospitals Group, said that liver disease remains a serious concern in the country, due to which two lakh people are dying every year.
Despite 1800 liver transplants every year, a large number of patients are still waiting. On one hand, our country has made a lot of progress regarding organ transplantation, but on the other hand, a large part of the population is still away from this treatment. Our dedication through Apollo lies in ensuring that no person dies due to lack of access to transplant. Our focus is to establish top class transplant centers led by eminent physicians. We are committed to extending our expertise to individuals seeking liver transplant services around the world.
Meanwhile, Shivkumar Pattabhiraman, Managing Director of Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi, said that India’s prominence in organ transplantation is increasing. With a rich legacy of 25 years, we at Apollo are celebrating a historic milestone in liver transplantation, cementing our position as a leading force in the medical sector in India. The institute stands as a symbol of exceptional care and unprecedented progress, setting global standards in liver transplantation. Our unwavering commitment to the advancement of liver transplantation and our continuous efforts to push the boundaries of medical science underline our pledge to deliver the best outcomes for our patients.
Dr. Anupam Sibal, Group Medical Director and Senior Pediatric Gastroenterologist, Apollo Hospitals, said that today is an important milestone for Indian medical progress. The Liver Transplant program at Apollo Institute began 25 years ago, marking a watershed moment in India’s medical landscape. This unprecedented initiative, coupled with the trust shown by patients like Sanjay, has helped Apollo Institute of Transplant successfully transplant more than 4300 livers. This also includes 515 transplants of children.
Dr. Sibal said that I remember well the day when I saw Sanjay for the first time. Then, every hour spent in the ICU and today, 25 years later, the same little boy stands in front of me in the form of a doctor. He is also going to live a married life soon. When I feel this happiness and satisfaction, I can never express it in words. It remains limited to my heart, mind and moist eyes and then after a few seconds, the glow visible in those eyes. Today we are able to perform the most challenging transplants, including ABO incompatible and combined liver-kidney transplants. We are also operating on small babies up to four kilograms. All this is because of the success achieved in the journey of 25 years.”
Dr. Nirav Goyal, Senior Consultant, Liver Transplant Unit, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi, said, “Apollo’s Liver Transplant Program has an exceptional success rate of 90 per cent which is a testament to our steadfast dedication towards exceptional patient care and clinical outcomes. There is evidence of. This achievement not only represents our commitment towards excellence, but also serves as hope for people facing liver failure. We are working to extend our services to a larger section of the population in the future.
