- Ten Month Old Organ Donor
- Green Corridor Enabled Transfer
- A Tragic Collision
Article Today, Kerala:
A ten month old infant from Pathanamthitta district, Kerala died following a road accident on February 5. The child, Aline Sherin Abraham, sustained severe head injuries when the family vehicle collided with an oncoming car. She was admitted to a private hospital in Kochi. Despite intensive care, doctors declared her brain dead after clinical evaluation.
Medical Confirmation
Brain death determination followed established medical protocols. A team of specialists conducted neurological assessments. The tests confirmed irreversible loss of brain function. Therefore, the medical team informed the parents about the possibility of organ donation under existing transplant guidelines.
A Difficult Decision
The parents consented to donate the child’s organs. This decision came amid acute personal grief. The donated organs included the liver, kidneys, heart valves and corneas. According to hospital officials, the organs were allocated through the state’s transplant coordination system. Health Minister Veena George monitored the process.
Rapid Organ Transport
Time was critical. Organs must be transplanted within defined ischemic limits. However, night flying was not feasible. Authorities created a green corridor from Kochi to Thiruvananthapuram. Police regulated traffic across nearly 230 kilometres. Ambulances completed the journey in approximately three hours and twenty minutes. Surgeons prepared recipient teams in advance.
Lives Restored
Doctors transplanted the liver into a six month old infant. Surgeons allocated the kidneys to a ten year old child. Heart valves and corneas went to other patients in need. Hospital sources reported that the procedures were clinically successful. Meanwhile, transplant teams continue post operative monitoring.
Political and Public Response
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan described the donation as an act of rare courage. Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed condolences through Union Minister Suresh Gopi, who attended the funeral. Actors Kamal Haasan and Mohanlal issued written tributes. Public officials, including Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, expressed solidarity with the family.
State Funeral Honours
The state accorded official honours during the funeral at a church in Pathanamthitta. Such recognition for an infant donor is uncommon. However, it reflects Kerala’s active organ donation network and public health outreach.
Ethical and Systemic Questions
The case has renewed debate on pediatric organ donation. Experts note that consent, medical transparency and allocation fairness remain central concerns. Therefore, health authorities must ensure strict adherence to national transplant regulations. Organ donation saves lives. Yet it requires rigorous oversight and public trust.
Aline Sherin Abraham’s death underscores both medical possibility and moral complexity. Her organs sustained five other children. Meanwhile, her story highlights the need for sustained awareness, ethical clarity and institutional accountability in organ transplantation.
