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Organ Donor's Liver Travels Miles to Save Life
24 Jan
Summary
- A liver traveled by road from AIIMS-Rishikesh to PGIMER, Chandigarh.
- Organ retrieval and transplant mission faced extreme weather and time limits.
- Multiple organs were successfully donated and transplanted across India.
A pioneering organ transplant mission saw PGIMER, Chandigarh, successfully retrieve a liver from AIIMS-Rishikesh on January 16, 2026. Battling severe weather conditions including cold, rain, and wind, along with critical time constraints, medical teams achieved a significant milestone.
This mission involved an overnight road journey to minimize ischemia time, a first for liver transportation from AIIMS-Rishikesh to PGIMER. The donor, Raghu Paswan, was declared brain-dead after a fall, and his family's decision to donate organs offered hope to many.
Beyond the liver, one kidney and pancreas went to PGIMER, another kidney to AIIMS New Delhi, the heart to Army Hospital New Delhi, and lungs to Apollo Hospital Chennai. The pancreas transplant into a 28-year-old woman, who has managed diabetes since childhood, shows promising recovery.
Coordinating this multi-state effort required extensive real-time collaboration, navigating logistical challenges and adverse weather. The success relied heavily on the cooperation of various state administrations, traffic police, NOTTO, ROTTO North, and hospital authorities, highlighting a collective resolve for time-critical organ transfer.
