From India’s first Liver Transplant to the biggest Liver Awareness Drive.
Liver transplantation for end-stage liver disease has gained acceptance in India over the last 10 years but it was not the case in the 1990s. The first liver transplant in India was done in the year 1995 and was unsuccessful. This was followed by a few unsuccessful attempts until the Department of Surgical Gastroenterology at Stanley Medical Hospital, under the leadership of Dr. R.P. Shanmugam, surgical gastroenterologist was able to perform a successful liver transplant in India in the year 1996!
Dr.R.P Shanmugam was the first qualified surgical best gastroenterologist in this country. He was also the founder of the esteemed Dept. of Surgical Gastroenterology, Stanley Medical College, Chennai. Concerned about the increasing incidence of liver disease, Prof. R.P. Shanmugam founded Chennai Liver Foundation in 1997!
The surgeon who did India’s first liver transplant surgery had to undergo the same in April 2013 to get his diseased liver replaced. While he was fortunate to have access to good treatment, he knew not all Indians are as lucky. He rallied the foundation since then, “We have made tremendous progress in transplants but there is a wide gap between the need and the availability of organs. CLF will engage people from across India to help support organ donation through meetings, fundraiser dinners, and social media,” he said.
Chennai Liver Foundation aims to set up a complete liver institute for the population where diagnosis and treatment including a liver tr. at a much-subsidized cost cater every segment of transplant will be provided
THE VISION
Chennai Liver Foundation (CLF) envisages a Liver disease-free society. Liver disease is a great cause of morbidity and mortality which pose a great threat to the health of the Indian population. Based on the magnitude of liver disease which is on the rise day by day, there is an absolute necessity to increase the awareness among the general public and the policymaker for prevention and reduction of mortality.
THE MISSION
- Disease awareness for both physicians and the public
- Disease prevention
- Increase treatment access to patients
- Improve quality of health care
- Increasing scientific knowledge
- Strengthening healthcare systems
Around 10 Lakh patients with Liver cirrhosis are newly diagnosed every year in India.
Liver disease is the tenth most common cause of death in India as per the World Health Organization.
Liver disease may affect every one in 5 Indians.
It is estimated that there are 50 million carriers of viral hepatitis in India. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), or cancer in the liver, is the second most common cause of death due to malignancy in the world.