Dr George P Abraham, a renowned nephrologist and urological surgeon, was found dead at his farmhouse in Thuruthissery, near Nedumbassery in Kerala’s Ernakulam district, late on Sunday, March 2. He was 74.
Police recovered a suicide note in which he expressed frustration over his declining ability to perform surgeries with the same proficiency as before. Reports indicate that he had undergone back surgery six months ago, which led to hand tremors, affecting his ability to continue practicing medicine.
Dr. Abraham had visited the farmhouse on March 2 with his brother and a friend who helped maintain the property. Later, he dropped them off at their homes and returned alone. When he failed to return to his residence in Elamkulam, his brother filed a complaint with the Nedumbassery police, who tracked his mobile phone location and found him at the farmhouse. By the time authorities arrived, family members had also reached the location.
A pioneering figure in nephrology and urology, Dr. Abraham had an illustrious career spanning over three decades. He performed over 2,500 kidney transplants and more than 15,000 endourological procedures in Kerala. He was the third surgeon in the world to conduct a laparoscopic renal transplant on a living donor and was credited with performing Kerala’s first cadaver kidney transplant, percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL), and laparoscopic donor nephrectomy using 3D laparoscopy. He served as the head of the urology and renal transplant department at VPS Lakeshore Hospital in Kochi.
Police have registered a case of unnatural death based on the suicide note. His body was initially taken to a private hospital in Angamaly for an inquest and later moved to the Government Medical College in Kalamassery for a post-mortem examination. He will be laid to rest at St. George Jacobite Syrian Church in Cheruthottukunnel on Tuesday, March 4.