Philanthropist laments lack of support for KTSF
“If the programme had been implemented nationally by today it would have become the best transplant programme for kidney patients."
Requests for kidney transplants have become the norm in the print media. The requests appear in the background of patients dying due to lack of funds, or being unable to find a suitable kidney in time. In such a scenario are there any programmes to increase the life expectations of patients? Such a programme was inaugurated by Ajith F. Perera in 2009 – the Kidney Transplant Support Foundation” (KTSF). The KTSF functioned in 20 hospitals islandwide, but is now ailing, says Mr. Perera.
“The Organ Donation National Programme was started in 2009. The main intention behind its establishment was to save the lives of kidney patients. Any donor from any country can contribute - when the donor is alive or after death. There is a computer network that has been designed across 20 hospitals in different parts of the island. All donors were registered onto the system, for example, if a donor in Ampara wanted to donate, he could go to the Ampara hospital where he was registered on to the database. Then, this information can be accessed anywhere in the island. We also asked the doctors to enter the details of their patients into the system. This computer network provides a platform for patients and donors to meet. Patients and donors can be matched by this.”
But, Mr. Perera says the system has stopped functioning over time as doctors do not contribute to the database. Proper aid from the government, would be helpful to save patients' lives as donors are willingly coming forward without asking for any monetary returns.
Though some health authorities turned a blind eye, Doctors such as Dr. S.M.L Beligaswatte contributed with professional expertise to the donation programme. Dr. Beligaswatte in retirement took on the post of Chairman, National Kidney Foundation. “If the programme had been implemented nationally by today it would have become the best transplant programme for kidney patients. In that way, we are very unlucky,” Dr. Beligaswatte says.
According to Dr. Beligaswatte; this programme not getting the government’s aid is very unfortunate. But, Mr Perera has not backed down among these challenges. He has been trying to bring in measures existing in other countries. Adding the organ donation consent to the driver’s licence is one such measure. Over 12,000 licences which carry this symbol have been issued. The consent gives permission for a hospital to harvest the kidneys and liver. Consent for heart donation would also be added.
“I have come to this stage after eight years of hard work. The next stage is to get the donation consent on the Driving licence. Then, the licence would state that the holder is an Organ donor. This becomes an immense help to both donors and patients in the event of an accident. Police officers at the Motor Department have already been informed of these steps taken. But, the Traffic Police is still in the dark about this. The 25 branches at the National Transport Medical Institute should be the main stakeholder in this programme. Most of the problems have sprung up in Colombo,” states Mr Perera.
Ajith F. Perera hails from a family of philanthropists. His father Wilmot A. Perera was the founder of Sri Pali College, Horana and his grandfather was Arthur V. Dias. His maternal great grandfather was famous philanthropist Charles Henry De Soysa who not only donated four hospitals but also the Prince and Princess of Wales Colleges.