Jaipur: Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital’s skin bank received just three donations since it was established last July. Families of ten donors had approached for donating skin to the bank but only three were found eligible for it. Honouring the three donors’ families, the SMS hospital organised a felicitation event at Jaipur Medical Association’s hall in the hospital on Saturday.
The plastic surgery department is now making efforts to spread awareness on skin donation to save lives of patients with burn injuries, road accident victims and others who need skin grafting to prevent infections.
“We are the first to set up a skin bank in north India, even before AIIMS, Delhi. The aim is to save the lives of the needy patients. At least 30% of patients in our plastic surgery department including burn patients, skin grafting could increase their chances of recovery,” said Dr RK Jain, senior professor (plastic surgery), SMS Hospital, and president of Rajasthan Association of Plastic Surgeons (RAPS).
SMS Hospital and RAPS along with NGOs will create awareness by launching campaigns in the state on skin donation. “People are more aware about kidney donation, liver donation, heart donation, but they are not much aware that skin donation is equally important to save the lives of needy patients,” said Dr Jain.
The skin donated by three donors in the past one year has already been used in the treatment of needy patients. The skin donation is quite simple as within six hours of death of a patient, skin can be harvested and preserved in the bank for use in the patients. Just like in eye donation, a team of experts visit the donor’s house and harvest the skin as it does not require operation theatre and other such hospital facilities.
Anshuman Vyas, the son of a skin donor Shivhari Vyas who was felicitated at the event, said, “I am encouraging my family and even colleagues at my office I make people aware about skin donation.”
Husband of donor Anita Goyal, Arun Goyal was also felicitated and said, “More awareness is required for giving boost to skin donation. People are not aware of whom to contact for skin donation.”
The plastic surgery department is now making efforts to spread awareness on skin donation to save lives of patients with burn injuries, road accident victims and others who need skin grafting to prevent infections.
“We are the first to set up a skin bank in north India, even before AIIMS, Delhi. The aim is to save the lives of the needy patients. At least 30% of patients in our plastic surgery department including burn patients, skin grafting could increase their chances of recovery,” said Dr RK Jain, senior professor (plastic surgery), SMS Hospital, and president of Rajasthan Association of Plastic Surgeons (RAPS).
SMS Hospital and RAPS along with NGOs will create awareness by launching campaigns in the state on skin donation. “People are more aware about kidney donation, liver donation, heart donation, but they are not much aware that skin donation is equally important to save the lives of needy patients,” said Dr Jain.
The skin donated by three donors in the past one year has already been used in the treatment of needy patients. The skin donation is quite simple as within six hours of death of a patient, skin can be harvested and preserved in the bank for use in the patients. Just like in eye donation, a team of experts visit the donor’s house and harvest the skin as it does not require operation theatre and other such hospital facilities.
Anshuman Vyas, the son of a skin donor Shivhari Vyas who was felicitated at the event, said, “I am encouraging my family and even colleagues at my office I make people aware about skin donation.”
Husband of donor Anita Goyal, Arun Goyal was also felicitated and said, “More awareness is required for giving boost to skin donation. People are not aware of whom to contact for skin donation.”
