Dhaka, Bangladesh

Friday, 29 March 2024

বাংলা

Sara’s gift to humanity

Knock on the doors of a new era

Womeneye Desk

Published: 01:30, 4 April 2023

Knock on the doors of a new era

Sara Islam:

The selfless act of a 20-year-old woman Sara Islam has brought an infinite sky of opportunities in country’s medical sector. 

On January 19 last, a team of physicians at BSMMU Hospital led by Prof Dr Habibur Rahman Dulal successfully transplanted kidneys collected from Sara to two patients.

It was the first cadaveric kidney transplant performed in the country.

The story of the selfless act again washed up when Sara's mother met Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the PM's official Ganabhaban residence on Monday.

Among others, a Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) delegation, physicians concerned and kidney transplanted patients--Shamima Akhter and Shabnam Sultana were present.

Bangladesh has made remarkable progress in medical sector by carrying out many critical operations including kidney transplant, said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

PM's Deputy Press Secretary KM Shakhawat Moon briefed newsmen after the meeting.

He said: "BSMMU vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Md Sharfuddin Ahmed led the delegation."

Addressing the delegation, the PM said that her government has reached healthcare services to every doorstep following the footstep of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

She said her government has given topmost priority on extending healthcare services to the people.

Sara was suffering from a debilitating disease, has saved the lives of two people with kidney failure and may have given back the sight of two other individuals. 

Sara has shown the world how generosity can go beyond a person's death by  giving instructions to donate her organs after her passing. This the first successful transplant of organs from a brain-dead person in Bangladesh.

In Sara's case, the significance of this selfless act cannot be emphasised enough as it was her mother who helped to fulfil her noble wishes and the gratitude should also go to an amended law that allows collection of organs from clinically dead individuals with the consent of relatives.

The kidneys were collected after Sara's mother gave her consent for the operation.

Kidney transplantation from living donors began in Bangladesh in 1982. But taking a kidney from a clinically dead patient was restricted legally.

In 2018, the organ donation law was amended allowing collection of organs from the clinically dead with consent from concerned relatives.

In Bangladesh, there are more than 20 million people suffering from some type of kidney disease, with about 40,000 estimated to suffer from kidney failure every year. More than 20,000 of them die as they cannot afford the continuous dialysis that they need to stay alive.

Against this backdrop, Sara has given hope to many individuals who face death or years of painful dialysis that comes with risks.

//M//