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Health dept begins probe into fatal liver transplant case at Sahyadri Hospital
Eight-member high-level committee appointed by the state government to probe fatal liver transplant case visited Sahyadri Hospitals on Thursday
Pune: The Maharashtra public health department has launched a probe into the fatal liver transplant case at Sahyadri Hospitals, Deccan. An eight-member high-level committee appointed by the state government visited the hospital on Thursday to investigate the deaths of a couple following the procedure.
The case involves Bapu Komkar, 48, who underwent a liver transplant on August 15 with his wife Kamini Komkar, 41, as the live donor. Bapu’s condition deteriorated soon after surgery, and he died the same day. Kamini developed post-operative complications and died during treatment on August 22. The couple’s family has alleged medical negligence by the hospital.
According to officials, the committee members first convened at the office of the deputy director of health services, Pune region, in the morning. They visited the hospital around 10 am and inspected the operation theatre, pre-operative area, and step-down unit. After a detailed inspection lasting over five hours, the team left the hospital around 3 pm.
Dr Bhagwan Pawar, deputy director of health services and secretary of the committee, said, “The team inspected the hospital, recorded statements of the doctors and staff, and collected documents, which are now under scrutiny. Before today’s visit, four online meetings of the committee had already been held.”
Earlier, the public health department had taken suo motu cognisance of the deaths and issued a notice to the hospital on August 24, seeking details of the case and an explanation. On August 26, the state advisory committee temporarily suspended the hospital’s liver transplant licence before forming a high-level probe committee.
The committee is headed by Dr Mohammed Rela, liver transplant surgeon and president of the International Liver Transplant Society, Chennai. Other members include Dr Ram Prabhu, liver transplant surgeon at KEM Hospital, Mumbai; Dr Rahul Pandit, intensivist and former vice-president of the Indian Society of Critical Care Medicine; Dr Vasant Nagvekar, infectious diseases specialist and secretary of the National ID Society of India; Dr Vijay Vohra, pioneer in liver transplant anaesthesia and founder member of the Liver Transplant Anesthesia Society of India; Dr Akash Shukla, hepatologist at KEM Hospital and president of ROTTO-SOTTO (Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation-State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation) Maharashtra; Dr Padamsen Ranbagale, surgeon at Sassoon General Hospital, Pune; and Dr Bhagwan Pawar, deputy director of health services, Pune, who is secretary of the committee.
