TIRUCHY: The Tamil Nadu government has temporarily suspended the kidney transplant licence granted to two private hospitals, Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan Medical College Hospital in Perambalur and Cethar Hospital in Tiruchy, based on a preliminary inquiry into the suspected kidney sale racket in Namakkal district.
In a press release issued on Wednesday, the state health department said the action was based on the report of a high-level committee constituted to probe into the alleged illegal transplant surgeries carried out at private hospitals in Tiruchy and Perambalur in the suspected racket.
The probe committee headed by Dr S Vineeth, Director of Tamil Nadu Health Systems Project, also included Dr R M Meenakshisundari, Joint Director (Legal), Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services; Dr A Rajmohan, Joint Director of Health Services, Namakkal; Dr K Marimuthu, Joint Director of Health Services, Perambalur and Ariyalur; and Seetharaman, DSP attached to health department.
Dr Vineeth conducted inspections at Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan Medical College Hospital on Tuesday and other locations linked to the reported violations in Nammakal. A health department team led by R M Meenakshisundari also visited Cethar Hospital in Tiruchy on July 18, the release said.
Based on the interim report filed by Dr Vineeth, the Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services (DMS) invoked Section 16 (2) of the Transplantation of Human Organs Act, 1994, and ordered the suspension of kidney transplant licences given to both hospitals temporarily. The press release did not specify how the hospitals were involved in the racket or whether they had monetarily benefited.
When TNIE contacted Dr P Senthilkumar, IAS, Principal Secretary to the Government, Health and Family Welfare Department, he was unavailable for comment.