Thinking of shutting down organ transplant procedures: Ruby Hall

In the transplant surgery that was performed on March 24, a woman 'donor' posed as the recipient's wife after allegedly being promised Rs 15 lakh in return.

Pune: Ruby Hall Clinic gets notice in kidney transplant case

Ruby Hall Clinic. (File)

AUTHORITIES OF Ruby Hall Clinic are contemplating shutting down organ transplant procedures in the wake of alleged malpractice in a recent kidney transplant at the hospital. Bomi Bhote, CEO of Ruby Hall Clinic, told The Indian Express that after conducting more than 1,800 kidney transplants, the “entire effort seems futile when attempts are being made to defame the institution”.

In the transplant surgery that was performed on March 24, a woman ‘donor’ posed as the recipient’s wife after allegedly being promised Rs 15 lakh in return.

On May 11, Pune City Police had booked 15 persons, including management authorities and doctors at Ruby Hall Clinic, in connection with the controversial kidney transplant. It had also booked the kidney recipient, donor, members of their families and middlemen, and invoked provisions of Transplantation of Human Organs Act, 1994, along with Indian Penal Code sections related to cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy.

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“We are seriously considering a move to stop all organ transplants. We have conducted more than 1,800 kidney transplants, heart and liver transplant and bone marrow transplants. At the end of the day, the hospital authorities and doctors are unnecessarily being harassed and we are fighting a legal battle now. What is the point,” said Bhote.

While transplants at Ruby Hall Clinic have been stopped, other hospitals are also not encouraging ‘unrelated’ live kidney transplants. Local hospital authorisation committees are only processing applications for live related donor kidney transplants.

Explaining what this means, Dr Vrishali Patil, multi-organ transplant surgeon at Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital, said, “This means that authorisation committees in hospitals can process the applications where the spouse, parents, children and siblings can be considered as donors for their family member who has a chronic kidney ailment and requires a transplant,” said Dr Patil.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a journalist with The Indian Express and is based in Pune. A senior editor, Anuradha writes on health, research developments in the field of science and environment and takes keen interest in covering women's issues. With a career spanning over 25 years, Anuradha has also led teams and often coordinated the edition. ... Read More

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