BHUBANESWAR: Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak on Tuesday admitted in the Assembly that a case of illegal kidney transplantation has been detected in Cuttack where permission was availed by production of forged documents.
Assuring that the State Government has initiated steps to stop monetary deals behind such alleged activities, the Minister said strong action will be taken against those found guilty. The issue cropped up during discussion on the admissibility of an adjournment motion notice on the issue.
Nayak said three persons have been arrested in Cuttack case while four persons have been arrested in another transplant case which took place at Seven Hills Hospital, Vishakhapatnam. A police case has also been filed in an incident which came to light two days back in Bhubaneswar, he said and added that investigation is on. Rejecting the allegations of opposition members that an illegal kidney transplantation racket is thriving in the State, the Minister said out of a total of 596 applications for kidney transplantation since 2002, permission was granted for 554 cases.
The Minister said an eight member Authorisation Committee headed by the Director, Medical Education and Training verifies the applications for allowing kidney transplantation. Steps are being taken to stop monetary deals between donors and recipients if any, he said.
The Authorisation Committee which used to meet once a month has now been asked to meet twice, he said and added that steps are also being taken to plug the loopholes in Human Organ Transplantation Act-1994 to bring in more transparency. Congress chief whip Taraprasad Bahinipati alleged that though only family members and close relatives can donate kidney for a patient, these guidelines were not followed in the case of former minister and now Rajya Sabha member AU Singhdeo. Holding the State Government responsible for the illegal trade, Bahinipati criticised the State Government for its inaction and inability to bust the well-organised racket. He suggested that the State Government should consider opening a kidney bank and simplify rules.
Anshuman Mohanty, Prafulla Majhi (both Cong), Bibhuti Bhusan Harichandan and Rabinarayan Nayak (both BJP) demanded simplification of the provisions of the law to make the process transparent.