King George’s Medical University (KGMU) in Lucknow has decided to give a push to its kidney transplant programme that has remained suspended for nearly a year.

Launched in 2014, KGMU’s kidney transplant programme faced challenges as a few faculty members left the institute, reported IANS.

However, it began again in December 2022 and by April 2023, five kidney transplants were conducted. But once again, due to improper allotment of transplant operating theatre, the programme hit a roadblock.

KGMU Vice-Chancellor Prof Soniya Nityanand said arrangements are being made to make the operating theatre available to the transplant unit on a regular basis, IANS further added.

“Two operating schedules have been set aside for kidney transplants. This will help take the kidney transplant programme ahead smoothly,” the vice-chancellor said.

The university in Uttar Pradesh also started a Cadaveric Multi-Organ Donation (CMOD) programme, eight years ago, with an aim to save hundreds of lives per year by retrieving organs from brain-dead patients for transplant into those patients whose organs have failed.

CMOD was started in KGMU by the Department of Surgical Gastroenterology in 2016. At present, the majority of kidney and liver transplants in UP are taking place through live donations.