The Government of Kerala has decided to establish an Institute of Organ and Tissue Transplant at Kozhikode. It is being established as an Apex Institute for research, training and patient care in the area of organ transplantation and allied activities. This Apex Institute with skilled doctors, researchers and health workers can be developed as a Centre of Excellence.

The total cost of the setting up the Institute of Organ and Tissue Transplant will be Rs 558.68 crore (Phase I Rs 373.68 crore + Phase II Rs 185 crores). Funds will be procured from the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) to establish the Institute according to a Master Plan within a 25 acre campus, and implement the scheme.

The Institute is proposed as a Super Specialty Centre with a 489 bedded hospital which includes 219 general beds, 42 special ward beds, 58 ICU beds, 83 HDU beds, 16 Operation Rooms, Dialysis Centre and a Centre for Transplantation Research.

In Phase I, 330 beds are planned along with 10 Operation Rooms. 180 beds and 6 Operation Rooms are planned in Phase II. The Institute is proposed to perform 1,100 corneal transplants, 500 kidney transplants, 320 liver transplants, 15 intestinal transplants, 15 pancreas transplants, 50 heart transplants, 40 lung transplants, 120 bone marrow transplants and 300 soft tissue / digits / hands / bone / face transplants per year, at the end of 5 years from its inception. The Institute is estimated to have an area of 60,000 sq. mt. With allied services, parking, auditorium, guest house, hostels and quarters, the total area is estimated to be above 175,000 sq. mt.

There will be 14 Specialty Departments and Divisions in Phase I, and 7 in Phase II. 31 academic courses are planned and some of them will be the first in the country. As far as academic programmes go, super specialty courses, post-doctoral fellowship courses, specialty nursing courses, transplant technician courses and transplant coordinator courses will be offered. A dedicated research facility with an aim to perform basic, translational and clinical research in all areas of transplantation including transplant biology, transplantation medicine, cell therapy, stem cells, transplant immunology etc. will also be created in the Institute.

Currently only USA and China have dedicated transplant centres. The Institute of Organ and Tissue Transplant at Kozhikode will be the first of its kind in the country.