Kolkata Police paves way for eye donation in accident cases

Kolkata, June 3 (IANS) In a first for West Bengal, corneas were harvested from a 50-year-old accident victim, with the collaboration of the police.

Kabita Manna, who passed away on Friday following a head injury in a road accident, has in death paved the way for eye donations in police cases.

"In case of accidental death, if the cornea is intact, eye donation can take place with the permission of the police officer concerned. Usually, even if the family is willing, due to the police case factor, donation becomes a problem," Madhumita Banerjee, the Eye Bank Manager at Sankara Nethralaya, told IANS.

"The corneas have to be harvested within six hours of death. If post-mortem examination is done, it is useless. So in this case, which was a police case due to the victim's death in a road accident, Kolkata Police collaborated with us and we were able to do it," Banerjee said.

She said Kabita, from West Midnapore's Salboni, was brought to a hospital in Kharagpur in the same district, following the accident.

"She was referred to state-run SSKM Hospital in Kolkata. She died on Friday. Her family was willing to donate, there was the post-mortem hurdle. So the Lalbazaar and Bhawanipore police cleared the way for us. We were able to harvest the corneas five hours after her death," added Banerjee.

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