Actor Sanchari Vijay's organs benefit 5-6 patients

Bengaluru: After vital organs of noted Kannada theatre personality and National award winning actor Sanchari Vijay were retrieved, two persons received his corneas, while a 33-year-old woman received his kidney.

State-run Minto Ophthalmic Hospital's director, Dr Sujatha Rathod told reporters that two persons, one aged around 38 years and another slightly younger, were given Vijay's corneas.

"We cannot disclose recipients' names under the Human Organ Transplantation Act; hence, their names will be remaining under wraps. After we received his corneas, a lot of discussion went on about to whom it should be given, then we unequivocally decided that his eyes must be given to youngsters, especially one who is equivalent to his age and another to youngest among the recipients," she said.

A doctor from M.S. Ramaiah Hospital who performed the kidney transplant told reporters that they decided to give it to a 33-year-old woman. "We received his kidney at 4 am on Tuesday and it was transplanted within hours. She has recovered and the biggest success is that she passed her urine without any trouble," he said.

He also added that during times like this, the decision of Vijay's family is noteworthy. "The family must be utterly in shock and it taking such a magnanimous decision is not only appreciable but also worthy of following. Perhaps he could be Karnataka's first multi-organ donor, who saved at least five or six lives. I don't have words to express my gratitude to that family," he said.

The actor met with an accident in Bengaluru on June 12 and was declared brain dead by the hospital on Monday.

Vijay, aged about 38 years, had met with a fatal accident while riding pillion on his friend's bike as they went out to buy medicines amidst the Covid-19 lockdown, police said. His friend escaped with a broken leg.

After the hospital declared him brain dead on Monday, his brothers announced that their family decided to donate his vital organs and under the guidance of Jeevansarthakathe, a State government appointed body for human organ transplants, doctors carried out procedures to retrieve his organs.