Taking case of kidney transplant scams in India
NEW DELHI: A pioneer in the field of Nephrology (kidney diseases) in India and South East Asia, Ramesh Kumar recently launched his book, titled Kidney Transplants & Scams: India’s Troublesome Legacy. Published by Sage India, the book takes into account some stark facts on this racket going on in the country. Present at the occasion was Navin Chawla, Former Chief Election Commissioner of India. He said, “In this book, he has exposed what many of us suspected; a well-organised racket that trades on the susceptibilities of largely poor donors to benefit the rich.
For these reasons, this first hand, authoritative and well-documented book must be taken very seriously by our governments, administrators, judges and lawmakers, hospital proprietors and their management, as well as law enforcing agencies, all of whom need to be made conscious of the deep malaise that exists in our midst”The book reveals that a live kidney weighing 150-200gms is the most sought-after organ worldwide, with people willing to buy from unrelated live donors for a few lakh rupees. There are almost 2,000 kidney transplants happening in India yearly – less than half this number meets the country’s legal requirements.
The author at the launch said, “As a young doctor in the 1960s, I had watched the plight and misery of kidney failure patients helplessly. After 50 years, today these patients have hope for prolonging their lifespans, lead a healthier life, look after their young families, educate their children and live with hope. I dedicate this book to the vast number of these fellow human beings with whom I was able to participate in their struggle.” Philanthropist Dr Karan Singh congratulated Dr Kumar for having presented the picture in all its grimness and said, “I think the book should spark a debate in the medical circles and in the civil society regarding the whole vexed area of organ donation.”