Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ma. Subramanian on Friday said the State government will invest further in measures that will help increase the number of organ donations and transplantations happening in the State.

The Minister was inaugurating a three-day fellowship course on advanced laparoscopic surgeries — FALS Hernia 2022 — organised by the Indian Association of Gastrointestinal Endo Surgeons in association with MGM Healthcare hospital and Chennai Hernia Society here.

He said he had received suggestions about procurement of certain equipment to prolong the preservation of harvested organs. The government will deliberate and procure such equipment as per necessity.

Mr. Subramanian highlighted that all the government medical college hospitals in Tamil Nadu had been given licence to harvest organs from persons who were declared braindead as per regulations that are in place. Highlighting that long waitlists for organ transplantation, particularly kidneys, he said that this move would help in availability of organs.

L. P. Thangavelu, president, IAGES, said the fellowship programme was important for medical practitioners. With around 1.75 lakh active hernia cases in the country, he said there was a need for surgeons to be updated latest advancements in treatment and technologies.

Prashanth Rajagoplan, director, MGM Healthcare, said that such fellowship programmes, conferences and investment in technology were placing Chennai at the helm of healthcare revolution happening in the country.

Lauding IAGES for its efforts, he highlighted the need for more women surgeons in the field to participate in such programmes.