Although the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) gave the nod to establish the regional authorisation committee at Sassoon General Hospital on June 15, the committee has so far just held its first introductory preparatory meeting on Friday evening.
The regional authorisation committee is essential in giving a green signal for live organ transplant cases across Pune. The delay has caused inconvenience to many patients and their families who are seeking kidney and liver transplants.
The Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) gave a nod to Sassoon Hospital to re-establish a seven-member new committee on June 15. The regional authorisation committee is responsible for scrutinisation of documents for live organ transplant cases in five districts.
Meenakshi Deshpande, President, Indian Medical Association (IMA) Pune, and one of the members of the regional authorisation committee, said that a primary meeting on Friday evening was conducted.
“One primary meeting was convened. But the minutes of the meeting and standard operating procedure (SOP) will be finalised in the next week. These new standard operating procedures will be effective, fast and safe for patients,” said Dr Deshpande.
The previous committee was dissolved in April this year after the Ruby Hall Clinic kidney transplant malpractice case. Since then, there was no committee at Sassoon Hospital to authorise the transplants. Patients and their families had to approach the state authorisation committee in Mumbai.
{{/usCountry}}The previous committee was dissolved in April this year after the Ruby Hall Clinic kidney transplant malpractice case. Since then, there was no committee at Sassoon Hospital to authorise the transplants. Patients and their families had to approach the state authorisation committee in Mumbai.
{{/usCountry}}Highlighting the plight of the patients, Dr Vrushali Patil, transplant surgeon at Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital, said that there are three kidney patients and two liver patients waiting for the committee to give a nod.
“Since April, one of our patients has had to go to Mumbai to get permission from the state authorisation committee. The file of the patient is still in Mumbai. There are three kidney patients and two liver transplant patients waiting for the committee to start its functioning,” said Dr Patil.
Dr Bharti Daswani, the newly appointed superintendent at BJ General Medical College and Sassoon Hospital and the Chairman of the Regional Authorisation Committee, said that the first meeting will be conducted next week.
“We have our first preliminary meeting on Friday evening. We will start the official work of the committee from next week after the Standard operating procedures are laid out,” said Dr Daswani.