Mangaluru medical colleges in need of cadavers

Mangaluru medical colleges in need of cadavers

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Feb 23, 2015 :  Human  cadavers are much in demand. With the number of medical colleges in Karnataka  phenominally increasing. In the government’s Wenlock Hospital Mangaluru, a great demand  for  cadavers  exists.

Fifteen medical colleges in the state, including those from Dakshina Kannada district, are queuing up for cadavers. While medical colleges need unclaimed healthy bodies, the colleges, which request for bodied,  don’t even get half that number.  As a thumb rule, a medical college requires at least 10 cadavers a year if it for every 100 students.

Wenlock Hospital git 103 unclaimed bodies in 2014 and in 2015 it had 73 till February 16. But the stock has depleted and requests from 15 colleges have been pending since October 2014. Kanachur Group, which commences its medical courses next academic year, has got only two against its request for 10. It had placed a request last November.

The colleges, which have put in their requests to Wenlock, include some from Raichur, Gulbarga, Tumakuru, KGF, Dharwad, Doddaballapur, Davangere, Shivamogga and Dakshina Kannada.

Dr Erappa S, RMO, Wenlock Hospital, says the shortage is purely  due to rise in demand. "With the number of colleges increasing, the number of students has gone up and many colleges get permission for additional intake and this puts pressure on colleges to procure more cadavers for stdy by medicos," he said.

He said cadavers are an indispensable learning tool. "New methods like simulation, etc, cannot replace hands-on experience. They have to deal with humans in day-to-day life and cadavers give them the correct perspective,’’ he adds. " Better doctors are made only by Cunningham’s Manual of Practical Anatomy. A doctor to know  which part lies where and where a particular nerve is supposed to be learns only by  practical experience which is invaluable,’’ he said.

Prior to 2006, cadavers were available for around Rs 250 but now, the price is Rs 10,000 per body. "Often, cadavers are returned as they haven’t been preserved well. The sanctioned strength of Group D staff is 280 and we have only 75. We require formalin injectors to preserve bodies. We don’t have formalin tanks. We have asked the government to provide’’ he added.

If the hospital gets an unidentified body, the authorities approach police to confirm the identity. If an address is available, a letter is sent and if it’s returned with no addressee found and a police report says person is not identified, the body is declared unclaimed.

Dr B Suresh Kumar Shetty, professor and head of the department of forensic medicine, KMC, Mangaluru, said cadavers gives students an idea of the basics and surface anatomy of a human being.

There is a sysytem for voluntary body donations be willing persons after their death in several hospitals of Mangaluru.  Forms are filled and Affidavits are given.
However, the choice of final donation after death lies with the next of kin which often is declined.  So,  the onus lies on unclaimed bodies as per police regulations.