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Pune’s Ruby Hall Clinic can resume live organ transplants
PUNE Ruby Hall Clinic in Pune is all set to restart live organ transplants, however, it will take at least five to seven days for the hospital to start with the transplant surgeries
PUNE Ruby Hall Clinic in Pune is all set to restart live organ transplants, however, it will take at least five to seven days for the hospital to start with the transplant surgeries. According to the order issued by the Directorate of Health Services (DHS), every transplant at the hospital has to be approved by the state and regional committee.
After the kidney transplant malpractice case came to light in April, the license of the hospital to conduct live transplant was suspended for six months by the DHS. After that the Bombay High court stayed the order.
In a relief to the hospital, the DHS issued an order on Monday that permits the hospital to resume live kidney transplants. The hospital can now form a transplant committee at their level.
“No members from the previous committee can be a part of the new committee. The committee will be responsible for collection and scrutiny of documents and its verification. After approval from the hospital-level committee, the state and regional committee will further give their approval, only then the hospital can go ahead with the surgery,” said the order signed by Dr Sadhana Tayade, director of health services, Maharashtra.
The order further underlines that there are no changes in cadaver organ transplant guidelines. “The hospital will display in its notice boards ‘Financial malpractice related to organ transplantation is a crime here and the offender will be liable to rigorous imprisonment and punishment,’” stated the order.
Speaking about the order, legal advisor Manjusha Kulkarni from Ruby Hall Clinic said that it will take one or two days more to form this new committee.
“Right now, there are over 10 patients who are waiting for the kidney transplant and five of them need the transplant urgently. However, it will take a day or two to form the committee. Post that the approvals will need a few more days. So, we are hoping that in the next seven to eight days we can get back to the live transplant cases,” said Kulkarni.
She added that the order issued again pushes the burden of proof on the hospital as the committee itself has to verify the details of the donor and recipients. “We will take an appropriate decision regarding the same in the next few days,” said Kulkarni.
