Kidney swapping case: Dr Ajay Taware removed as Sassoon hospital superintendent

Dr Taware was the superintendent at Sassoon hospital and member of the regional authorisation committee for organ transplant since past eight years

The directorate of health services, Maharashtra, has temporarily suspended the regional organ transplant authorisation committee over the alleged malpractices found during a kidney transplant procedure. It has also replaced Dr Ajay Taware with Dr Vijay Jadhav as superintendent of Sassoon General Hospital.

Dr Ajay Taware handed over the charge of his post to DMER on Thursday. He has been instructed to send probable names for the post. (HT FILE PHOTO)

Dr Taware handed over the charge of his post to DMER on Thursday. He has been instructed to send probable names for the post.

The state health department suspended the organ transplant licence of Ruby Hall Clinic on April 12.

Dr Dilip Mhaisekar, director, Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER), said, “Following a report submitted by the public health department, we had asked to suspend the Ruby Hall Clinic licence and initiate an inquiry on Sassoon hospital. Based on preliminary report of the committee, the regional organ transplant authorisation committee is been temporarily suspended and Dr Taware has been removed from superintendent post. The final report will be released by Monday as there are continuous public holidays.”

Ruby Hall Clinic’s licence to transplant organs remains suspended until the final report of the ongoing enquiry is submitted.

Though the kidney swapping case happened on March 24, it came to light on April 5 after the woman patient who is one of the donors spoke to the media. On March 29, Ruby Hall Clinic filed a police complaint with Koregaon Park police station.

Dr Taware was the superintendent at Sassoon hospital and member of the regional authorisation committee for organ transplant since past eight years.

“As per the instructions from DMER, charge of superintendent post is been taken away from Dr Ajay Taware, but its reason has not been given. Currently. its charge has been given to Dr Vijay Jadhav who is the deputy superintendent,” said Dr Vinayak Kale, dean, BJ Medical College and Sassoon General Hospital.