CM Vijayan to lay foundation stone for organ transplant institute in Kozhikode

Kozhikode: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will lay the foundation stone for the Kerala Institute of Organ and Tissue Transplant (KIOTT) in Chevayoor on Saturday.

The CM said the institute will provide advanced organ transplant surgeries at affordable costs, making treatment accessible to the general public. He noted that nearly 90 per cent of organ transplant procedures in India are currently carried out in the private sector, where high costs make them unaffordable for many.

Describing KIOTT as a world-class public-sector facility, the Chief Minister said treatment costs at the institute would be nearly one-third of those charged by private hospitals. He added that it would be India's first comprehensive public-sector institute dedicated exclusively to organ transplantation.

The CM said the institute would offer complex procedures, including kidney, liver, heart, lung and cornea transplants, under one roof. Designed with state-of-the-art facilities comparable to centres in the US and China, the institute would be only the third such integrated organ transplant centre in the world, he said.

The ₹525-crore project is being implemented with financial assistance from the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB), with ₹99 crore earmarked for advanced medical equipment.

Beyond healthcare services, KIOTT will function as an international-standard centre for advanced research in organ transplantation and for training medical professionals, Vijayan said.

Calling it a matter of pride for Kerala, the Chief Minister said the institute reflects the Left government's alternative development model aimed at strengthening the public health system. He added that the project underscores the government's belief that healthcare is a right, not a business, and aligns with its vision of building a 'New Kerala'.