Archive · 23 Dec 2025
Kerala Hospital Performs First Heart Transplant
A hospital in Kerala, India, did something very special.
They performed a heart transplant, which is the first time a district hospital in India has done this.
A young woman from Nepal, named Durga Kami, received a new heart from a man who passed away.
The man's family decided to donate his organs to help others.
Durga had a very serious heart problem and needed a new heart to live.
The hospital team traveled to get the heart and brought it back to do the surgery.
The surgery was free, and the government paid for it.
This is a big deal because it shows that even district hospitals can do complex surgeries and save lives.
The donor's other organs were also given to other people who needed them.
Ernakulam General Hospital performed its first heart transplant on December 22, marking a milestone as the first district-level hospital in India to do so.
The recipient is a 21-year-old Nepali woman, Durga Kami, suffering from cardiac sarcoidosis, a rare and serious heart condition.
The donor heart was retrieved from a 46-year-old Kollam native, S Shibu, who was declared brain dead after a road accident.
An eight-member medical team traveled to Thiruvananthapuram to retrieve the organ and transported it to Kochi for the transplant.
Kami received priority status for the transplant after approaching the Kerala High Court due to her critical condition and the urgency of her case.
- Who
- Ernakulam General Hospital medical team and 21-year-old Nepali woman Durga Kami (Arpana)
- What
- First heart transplant at a district-level general hospital in India
- When
- December 22
- Where
- Ernakulam General Hospital, Kerala, India
- Why
- To save the life of Durga Kami, who suffers from cardiac sarcoidosis and was at risk of sudden cardiac death
Pro-Transplant
Anti-Transplant
Organ Donation
Pro-Transplant
The family of the donor, S Shibu, made a selfless and compassionate decision to donate his organs, saving multiple lives.
Anti-Transplant
Some may argue that organ donation is a personal decision and that the family should have the right to decide what happens to their loved one's body without external pressure.
- Hospital
- Ernakulam General Hospital, Kerala
- Recipient
- 21-year-old Nepali woman, Durga Kami (Arpana)
- Donor
- 46-year-old Kollam native, S Shibu (brain dead after road accident)
- Medical Team
- Eight-member team including Dr. George Valuran, Dr. Paul Thomas, Dr. Geo Paul
- Recipient's Condition
- Cardiac sarcoidosis, a rare and serious heart condition
- Organ Retrieval Location
- Government Medical College Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram
- Transplant Date
- December 22
- Organ Allocation
- Heart to Kami, other organs (kidney, liver, skin, eyes) to six recipients
- Cost of Surgery
- Rs 12 lakh, borne by the state health department
