Nineteen-year-old Ajay Johny was declared brain dead on Tuesday. However, the Kerala youth who met with a fatal bike accident on Saturday, saved 4 other lives before he bid goodbye to the world. In Kerala, a state that witnesses few organ donations, Ajay's parents donated 4 of his organs to those who badly needed them.
Ajay, the son of Cheranallur-resident Johny Naduvilaparambil had met with a fatal bike accident near the Varappuzha flyover in Kochi on Saturday, following which he was admitted to the Astormed City hospital in Cheranellur. On Tuesday morning, he was declared brain dead and the doctors conveyed this to his parents.
“Ajay had suffered grievous head injuries and in the course of the treatment became brain dead. When we informed his parents that he has been declared brain dead, they asked if there was a possibility that his organs could be donated to benefit other people.” Dr Mathew told TNM.
Ajay’s liver, two kidneys and pancreas were donated to 4 people in different hospitals in the State. The hepato-pancreato-biliary and gastrointestinal surgery was done at Astormed City Hospital in Cheranallur by Dr Mathew Jacob, a lead consultant at the hospital’s liver transplant programme.
In Kerala, organ donations are not common as people usually do not opt to give away organs of the deceased, Dr Jacob added
“In Kerala, this agency is called KNOS - Kerala Network for Organ Sharing. Here, prospective receivers register themselves and then they are informed if a suitable match is found,” he said.
From 2012 to 2019, only 775 organs (including heart, lungs, liver, kidney, pancreas, larynx, hands and small intestine) have been donated by donors from Kerala.
Brain death can occur at any point, from a few days to a few weeks after sustaining injuries.
“Sometimes, people do not respond to the treatment and then become brain dead. Patients who have sustained grievous injuries in their head may be unable to heal during the course of the treatment. This is what happened to Ajay. He was admitted on Saturday. He was declared brain dead on Tuesday,” Dr Mathew added.