Gem Hospital and the Liver Transplant Society of India (LTSI) are jointly hosting the National Liver Transplant Conference on June 14-15, 2025, in Coimbatore at Hotel Le Meridien.

This landmark medical event has attracted more than 400 doctors from across the nation, marking a significant milestone in advancing liver transplant care in India. Spearheaded by the visionary leadership of Dr. C. Palanivelu, Chairman of GEM Hospitals, renowned liver transplant specialists Dr. AnandVijai and Dr. Magnus Jayaraj have orchestrated this landmark conference.

Dr. Gopalakrishnan, Member Secretary of Tamil Nadu's Organ Donation Program (TRANSTAN), inaugurated the conference in the presence of Dr.P.Praveen Raj, Joint Managing Director and CEO, GEM Hospital on Saturday (14.6.2025) emphasizing the importance of organ donation awareness and transplant accessibility.

The conference focuses on cutting-edge surgical techniques, including comprehensive discussions on robotic surgery and laparoscopic procedures for liver transplantation. Medical professionals will engage in detailed sessions covering the latest research evidence and clinical guidelines essential for future doctors and postgraduate students pursuing specialization in transplant medicine.

A unique highlight of the conference includes a live surgical demonstration broadcast from Seoul, South Korea, to Gem Hospital showcasing international collaboration in medical advancement. This real-time educational experience will provide attendees with unprecedented access to global surgical expertise and innovative techniques.

In a historic first for India, the conference will feature a comprehensive full-day ‘Liver ICU Training’ program specifically designed for intensive care unit nurses. This pioneering initiative addresses pre-operative patient preparation and post-operative care protocols for liver transplant patients. The specialized training represents the first large-scale educational program of its kind for nursing professionals at a national medical conference in India.

The training is designed to cover critical aspects of patient care including surgical preparation procedures, post-operative monitoring techniques, and comprehensive patient management strategies. This initiative acknowledges the vital role nurses play in ensuring successful transplant outcomes and patient recovery.

Conference sessions will include presentations on recent advancements in liver transplant anesthesia, organ donation protocols for ICU medical staff, and comprehensive post-operative patient management strategies. These discussions aim to enhance treatment standards and improve patient outcomes across India's healthcare system.

During the event, ten medical professionals who have completed Transplant Fellowship programs at the national level will receive their Transplant Fellowship Degrees, recognizing their advanced expertise in the field.

Speaking to the press and media at the sidelines of the event, Dr.Gopalakrishnan, Member Secretary, TRANSTAN said organ failure incidents are increasing across the world today.

During the post-Independence period in India, non-communicable diseases like heart diseases, hypertension, diabetes, chronic kidney diseases, cancer etc. were not a major issue and only communicable diseases such as Cholera, Diarrhea, Malaria, Typhoid posed a risk. If we look at now, the scenario has flipped. Communicable diseases have been reduced significantly in India but we are seeing non-communicable diseases rise sharply.

Organ failure too is rising, and that is because of 2 set of reasons – 1 is the lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, obesity, hypertension and other is external factors such as climate change, pollution, etc. Organ Transplant is seen as the apt and important solution for patients suffering organ failure, especially people with liver and kidney failure. Lot of patients with organ failure is waiting for organs from donors.

Due to the various awareness initiatives in Tamil Nadu, more than 250 persons donated organs in 2024, and this greatly helped organ failure patients. What we need to do further is to create awareness about organ donation as well as organ failure, and also share the ways to prevent it.

People should practice a healthy & disciplined lifestyle, avoid consuming food with high-salt content, and also avoid consuming beyond their needed calories, exercise 45 mins per day for 5 days in a week, and most of all consume a balanced diet, he said.