Swapping Lifeline: Men Donate Kidney to Each Others’ Wife in Rajasthan

It is not often that we hear extraordinary stories like this one. Call it an example of communal harmony or sheer coincidence, two women in Rajasthan got a new lease of life when their husband cross-donated their kidney to each other’s wife.

With Bakri Id in the backdrop, two families – Ahmeds and Mehras opted for a special deal. In a private hospital in Rajasthan, Anita Mehra was suffering from kidney problem for the past few years (glomerular disease) subsequently leading to kidney failure. Her blood group was different from her husband’s so was the other couple’s. Kidney of Tasleem Jahan Ahmed was damaged because of excessive use of painkillers. Her blood group is A+ (same as Mehra) and Ahmed’s blood group is B+ (same as Anita).

This successful dual kidney transplant surgery became a milestone when we are living in an age of decreasing humanity and increasing communal tension. It is observed that in more than 90% of the cases, the donors are females and males are the recipients.

Mehra said he never discriminates between Hindu-Muslims and will continue to do so. The procedure has tied the families with a special bond since the transplant.

Both the patients have been discharged from the hospital and their families are swaying with joy. The husbands are glad to both be a part of this noble deed and also for the priceless return gift from each other.

The donors, Mehra and Ahmed are also doing well and were discharged from the hospital earlier. It is a rare achievement for the doctors as well to swap kidney transplant breaking religious boundaries and when both the recipients were females.

Although as per the Human Organ Transplant Act of India, only near relatives can donate kidneys, yet it permits swap kidney transplant. In the current case of these two couples, they were perfect for swap kidney transplant as apart from blood group they also had a perfect tissue match.

The post first appeared in KenFolios - Only interesting stories.