1st International heart transplant in Gujarat

First Heart Transplant in an International Patient at Marengo CIMS Hospital, Ahmedabad

Marengo CIMS Hospital has made history in Gujarat by becoming the first to successfully conduct a heart transplant in a foreign patient. The 21-year-old Iraqi recipient, Nooralhuda Basim Abbas, was suffering from severe heart failure due to restrictive cardiomyopathy. This life-saving transplant is a moment of pride for Ahmedabad and cements the hospital’s reputation as a top centre for cutting-edge cardiac care.

The donor heart was provided by Mr. Satyender Yadav, a 31-year-old man from Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, who died in a road accident mere four months after his marriage. On August 4, he was declared brain-dead by doctors, and his family took the noble decision of donating his organs. His heart was utilized for the transplant in Ahmedabad, his liver saved a life in Bhopal, and his kidneys provided a new lease of life to a patient in Jabalpur. This act of charity by the donor family became the pillar of hope for several patients who were in dire need.

Pumping the heart from Jabalpur to Ahmedabad was a race against time. In a span of only five hours, the organ was transported via a highly choreographed green corridor: initially to Dumna Airport, followed by air transport to Ahmedabad, and then another green corridor to Marengo CIMS Hospital. Once there, the medical team laboured for two more hours to restore the heartbeat before surgery could start. This amazing coordination between states guaranteed that the heart arrived at the recipient in unblemished state, paving the way for the transplant.

The transplant was conducted by Dr. Dhiren Shah, Director – CVTS and Cardio-Thoracic Surgeon, and Program , Head of the Heart & Lung Transplant Program at Marengo CIMS Hospital, along with his dedicated team of multidisciplinary experts who include cardiac surgeons, anaesthetists, intensivists, transplant coordinators, and specialized nurses. Their teamwork, skill, and precision saw them successfully complete the complicated surgery, granting the young Iraqi woman a second lease of life.

Nooralhuda, a second-year medical student from Iraq, had been living with bad heart disease for two years. Her life became a struggle to accomplish the simplest daily activities, and life was running out of her rapidly. After listing for a heart transplant in Delhi a year ago without a matching donor, she listed with the State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (SOTTO) in Gujarat in May 2025. According to national organ allocation rules, hearts are initially provided to local recipients. When no matching donor was available in Gujarat, the Jabalpur heart was allocated to her. This life-saving game provided her with the chance to start a new chapter of life with a healthy heart.

This historic procedure is not merely a medical triumph. It is an embodiment of the spirit of organ donation beyond borders and nationality, and of smooth coordination between healthcare providers, state agencies, and donor families. With this accomplishment, Marengo CIMS Hospital has again proved itself dedicated to world-class transplant facility and to its mission to save lives not only in India but around the world.