Husband & wife die during liver transplant surgery: Health dept asks Sahyadri Hospitals to suspend living liver transplant

The state health department has asked Sahyadri Hospitals to temporarily suspend its living liver transplant programme. The decision was taken on Tuesday at a meeting of the state advisory committee under the Human Organ Transplantation Act (HOTA) 1994. The meeting was chaired by Dr Nitin Ambadekar, Director of Health Services, Maharashtra.

On Tuesday, Sahyadri Hospitals submitted the complete set of medical records in connection with the liver transplant case where both the husband (recipient) and donor wife died. The incident was discussed at the meeting and health authorities have decided to set up a high-level inquiry committee.

When contacted, Dr Bhagwan Pawar, Deputy Director of Health, Pune division, who is also the Divisional Appropriate Authority of HOTA, told The Indian Express that Sahyadri Hospitals was asked to stop living liver transplant procedures for a month. “The health department will appoint a high-level inquiry committee soon and they are expected to submit a report within four weeks,” Dr Pawar said, adding that till such time, the hospital was asked to put its living liver transplant programme on hold.