New Delhi, Mar 6 (IANS): A Delhi-based painter, who lost both his hands in a train accident in 2020, will now be able to take his brush again after receiving donor hands.

The 45-year old man has become the first in Delhi to undergo a successful bilateral hand transplant.

Doctors at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital transplanted the hands of donor Meena Mehta, former administrative head of a prominent South Delhi school who was declared brain-dead. Mehta's kidney, liver and corneas have also been donated to three others.

In the 12-hour long complex surgery, the doctors connected every artery, muscle, tendon and nerve between the donor's hands and the recipient's arms. The man is expected to be discharged tomorrow.

India faces the lowest organ donation rate worldwide, with a mere 0.1 per cent of the population donating their organs after death in stark contrast to 70-80 per cent in Western countries. Every year, hundreds of people die in India, waiting for an organ transplant.

As per the data available with NOTTO, in 2022, 11 cadaver donations were done with successful retrieval of 30 organs in Delhi.

Due to lack of awareness and misconceptions, there is a shortage of organ donors, and with each passing year, the gap between the number of organs donated and the people waiting for transplant, is growing wider.

Timely cadaveric organ donation can save many lives and more people would come forth and pledge their organs if they receive more information and are educated on the benefits of organ donation.