CHENNAI: The MGR medical university went to town announcing the inauguration of the Central Organ Registry in the city on July 11, 1997. Today, the room allotted to the registry is being used as a museum. Even the files are missing. Two bio-statisticians and a computer operator employed for maintaining the registry have also quit.
The registry, which still exists as one of 17 departments on the official website of the medical university (www.tnmmu.ac.in), was an attempt by the health department to facilitate easier transplantations.

It had to maintain a list of potential recipients and available donor organs in the city, and had tied up with three private and three government hospitals for co-ordination.”I was told that barring two meetings nothing happened. I don’t even know about the funds allotted to the registry by the government as the files are not here,” said head of immunology department Dr R G Sukumar, who is now in charge of the defunct registry. “To keep the registry active there should have been better coordination with several stakeholders including hospitals and traffic police. The waiting list should have been updated constantly with all medical details for the transplant,” he added…..Readmore