In a landmark achievement for healthcare in Eastern India, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Bhubaneswar has successfully performed its first-ever liver transplant procedure. This historic surgery was conducted with crucial mentorship and support from a specialist team from the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS) in New Delhi.
A Collaborative Medical Milestone
The complex transplant surgery took place on Saturday. Dr. Ashutosh Biswas, the Executive Director of AIIMS Bhubaneswar, confirmed the operation and stated that the patient is currently under close observation by the institute's transplant team. He indicated that more detailed information about the specific case would be shared after a few days. Hospital sources have reported that the health condition of both the donor and the recipient is stable, marking a positive initial outcome.
This success is the result of a formal collaboration. AIIMS Bhubaneswar has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with ILBS New Delhi to establish and run its liver transplantation facility. The medical team for this pioneering surgery comprised doctors and staff from both premier institutions. Dr. Dillip Kumar Parida, the Medical Superintendent of AIIMS Bhubaneswar, highlighted this collaborative effort.
Boosting Public Healthcare Transplant Capacity
The national apex body for organ donation, the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO), celebrated this achievement on social media platform X. It hailed the event as a "historic first" and a landmark achievement that significantly expands transplant care in the eastern region of the country. NOTTO emphasized that any public hospital gaining the capacity to perform liver transplants is a major boost to the national organ transplant program.
In its post, NOTTO extended special praise to the dedicated medical team, which was mentored by Dr. Viniyendra Pamecha, a renowned expert from ILBS. As part of the knowledge-transfer agreement, the ILBS team will guide the AIIMS Bhubaneswar unit through at least the first five liver transplant procedures. This hands-on mentorship is designed to equip the local team with the necessary experience to eventually take over and run the transplant program independently.
A Significant Step for Odisha's Healthcare Landscape
This development marks a critical advancement in Odisha's healthcare infrastructure. While AIIMS Bhubaneswar had initially planned to launch its liver transplant facility by 2023, delays pushed the timeline. The institute's successful entry into this highly specialized field now provides a major public sector option for patients in the region.
The context of liver transplants in Odisha shows why this achievement is vital. SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack was the first government hospital in the state to perform a liver transplant on April 3, 2024, followed by a second on September 9 last year. However, the program there halted after an agreement with a Hyderabad-based hospital lapsed. Meanwhile, only two private hospitals in the state have attempted one liver transplant each but did not continue the procedures regularly.
Therefore, the establishment of a sustained, mentored liver transplant program at AIIMS Bhubaneswar, backed by ILBS's expertise, promises to create a reliable and advanced center for life-saving care. It addresses a significant gap in accessible, high-end medical treatment for the people of Odisha and neighboring states in Eastern India.
