THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A gang busted for organ trafficking in Kochi has cast a long shadow over a section of private hospitals. Investigators and health officials said the racket could not have functioned without hospital support, pointing to a systemic failure at the heart of the state’s organ transplant oversight.
Kerala State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (KSOTTO), the government agency overseeing transplantation, has revealed that some private hospitals are facilitating organ donations from unrelated donors in violation of regulations.
The modus operandi, according to officials, involves mafia networks luring economically backward people with money to part with their organs for transplanting into patients who can afford the procedure. Of the 59 licensed transplant hospitals in the state, some are suspected of bypassing the approval process entirely.
The gap in oversight is stark. While KSOTTO receives monthly reports of transplant surgeries conducted across hospitals, there is no mechanism to verify whether a hospital has performed a live organ transplant without the mandatory paperwork. “Some hospitals could be bypassing the regulations and carrying out organ donations from unrelated donors,” said Dr Noble Gracious, Executive Director of KSOTTO.
Under the Transplantation of Human Organs Act, buying or selling organs for money is illegal. The law requires applicants seeking unrelated live organ donations to obtain approval from district authorisation committees, and approach a state committee if rejected. Yet sources said the system is riddled with inconsistencies. Courts, administrators and lawmakers often take a lenient view when approving what is framed as a life-saving procedure.
More troubling, sources said, KSOTTO has not used the powers conferred on it. “There should be random checks on suspected hospitals. It would deter them for sure,” said a source. The rules permit suspension of a hospital’s transplant licence and revocation of a doctor’s medical registration for violations, powers that have rarely been invoked.
The numbers tell their own story. Live organ donations from unrelated donors account for 60% of all live transplants and continue to rise, while deceased organ donations remain in double digits against roughly 1,350 live donations. A kidney transplant costs between Rs 5 lakh and Rs 15 lakh, while a liver transplant can run between Rs 28 lakh and Rs 35 lakh.
The representative of Kerala Private Hospitals Association declined to comment.
Lookout circular for key suspect
Police on Saturday have issued a lookout circular against the suspected kingpin of an organ trafficking racket that allegedly operated using forged documents. The notice was issued to trace and arrest Kasaragod native Najeeb Kallatra. Police have intensified the investigation to identify and apprehend other members of the racket. Investigators believe the racket had a presence across all districts of Kerala.
