Rotary Bangalore comes forward with Rs. 50 lakh project; To be inaugurated on Sept. 28

Mysore/Mysuru: Mysuru’s first Skin Bank will come up at K.R. Hospital, attached to the century-old Mysore Medical College and Research Institute (MMC&RI). The Skin Bank will be established free of cost by Rotary Bangalore at an estimated cost of Rs. 50 lakh.

The facility will come up at the renovated Burns Ward of K.R. Hospital and will be inaugurated on Sept.28, coinciding with the centenary celebrations of the institute established by Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar. MMC&RI is the first medical college in the erstwhile Princely State of Mysore.

The announcement of the Skin Bank was made this morning at World Plastic Surgery Day observed by the Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Burns Surgery at MMC&RI. July 15 is observed as World Plastic Surgery Day and as part of the event, a day-long Continuing Medical Education (CME) programme was organised.

A Skin Bank is a specialised facility dedicated to collecting, processing and storing donated human skin for medical use. It serves as a crucial resource in treating patients with severe burns, chronic wounds and other serious skin injuries. At present, the nearest Skin Bank for patients from Mysuru is Bengaluru’s Victoria Hospital Skin Bank.

When a person donates their skin, typically after death, the skin bank ensures the tissue is harvested and processed. It is preserved using techniques such as freezing or treating with chemicals, ensuring it remains usable for extended periods.

The preserved skin is stored under controlled conditions until it is needed and in emergencies, like major burn incidents, the skin bank can quickly provide life-saving skin grafts to hospitals and burn centres.

Proposal not implemented

Despite the K.R. Hospital having a dedicated Burns Ward — reporting 130 to 150 patients per year — there was no facility for a Skin Bank though there was a need. The Hospital authorities had proposed the Skin Bank to the State Government in the past, but the proposal was put in  cold storage.

Inaugurating the CME programme at the Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Burns Surgery, Mysuru-Kodagu MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar said that he would extend his cooperation for the advancement of treatment and critical care facilities at MMC&RI and the hospitals associated with it.

“This illustrious institute has been built by my ancestors and I would meet State and Central authorities to ensure that the hospitals are better equipped to treat patients from the Mysuru-Kodagu region,” he said.

MMC&RI Dean and Director Dr. K.R. Dakshayani, Surgical Society President Dr. K. Dinesh, Head of Surgery Department Dr. Madhu, Medical Superintendents of K.R. Hospital, Cheluvamba, Princess Krishnajammanni Super Speciality Hospital and Princess Krishnajammanni TB Hospital (PKTB) were present.

MBBS seats in Mysore Medical College go up to 200 from 150

The National Medical Commission (NMC) has increased the annual intake capacity of undergraduate seats at Mysore Medical College and Research Institute (MMC&RI) from 150 to 200 seats, starting from the academic year 2024-25.

MMC&RI Dean and Director Dr. K.R. Dakshayani shared this news with reporters, highlighting the growth from the College’s humble beginnings a century ago with just 20 seats to now accommodating 200 undergraduate students.

In 2011, the institution’s intake was increased from 100 to 150 seats. In 2021, MMC&RI approached the erstwhile Medical Council of India (MCI) to further increase the seats from 150 to 250. Following the addition of various facilities at the College, the NMC has now approved an increase of 50 seats.

However, there will be no increase in the number of Postgraduate (PG) seats, which currently total 153, including 23 in medicine and 20 in general surgery, among others.