Tamil Nadu suspends organ transplant licence for 2 private hospitals
The preliminary probe was conducted by S Vineeth, director of Tamil Nadu Health Systems Reform Project (TNHSRP). Further investigation based on several statements circulated online by alleged kidney donors is currently underway, added the officials.
The probe committee headed by Vineeth, comprised Dr R M Meenakshisundari, joint director (Legal), Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services, Dr A Rajmohan, joint director of health services, Namakkal and Dr K Marimuthu, joint director of health services in Perambalur and Ariyalur. 'Based on the interim report filed by Dr Vineeth, the Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services (DMS) invoked Section 16 (2) of the Transplantation of Human Organs Act, 1994, and ordered the temporary suspension of kidney transplant licences given to both hospitals,' a statement from the health department said.
Health minister M Subramanian had on July 18 ordered an inquiry into the suspected kidney trafficking racket in Namakkal district. A police complaint was filed on the same day against a man identified as M Anandan on suspicion of brokering illegal kidney donations from poor labourers working in power loom units and dyeing mills in Pallipalayam in the last six months.
Organ donations in the state are regulated by Transplant Authority of Tamil Nadu (TRANSTAN), which operates as per India's Transplantation of Human Organs Act, 1994. 'Only voluntary organ donation is permissible. Any selling of any organs is a serious crime,' the health minister said last Friday, adding, 'Anyone found involved in such crime will face action.'
The probe has not yet revealed those who have engaged and been complicit in the crime and how much money was allegedly given to the workers, added the officials quoted above.
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Hindustan Times
8 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Organ donation: A gift of life and hope for India
Nearly 5,00,000 people die every year in India due to scarcity of organs. These are not just statistics; they are real lives lost, families left waiting, and opportunities missed. Organ donation is one of the most compassionate acts a person can perform, with the power to save or transform the lives of many. Yet in India, this life-saving potential remains tragically underused. The need is overwhelming, the medical capability exists, but awareness, social acceptance, and timely action remain critical gaps in the system. National Organ Donation Day is observed every year on August 3. (Sourced) Today, as India observes National Organ Donation Day, it offers an urgent reminder that the solution to these preventable deaths lies within our collective reach. It is not just a date to acknowledge donors and doctors; it is a call to action for every citizen to consider how one decision, taken today, could mean life for someone tomorrow. India's journey with organ transplantation began in 1962. However, it wasn't until 1994 that the Transplantation of Human Organs Act (THOA) provided a legal framework for the removal, storage, and transplantation of human organs. This legislation also legally recognised brain stem death and outlawed the organ trade. Amendments in 2011 and subsequent rules in 2014 further clarified procedures, expanded the definition of near relatives, allowed swap donations, and mandated hospitals to approach families in ICU settings for consent in brain death cases. The framework is now robust. What's lacking is public engagement and institutional consistency across states. India's deceased organ donation rate stands at just 0.65 per million population, far behind countries like Spain (3.5), the United States (2.2), and the UK (1.5). Despite having performed the second-largest number of transplants in the world in 2019, the sheer size of India's population means the demand remains critically unmet. According to government data, every year about two lakh people die from liver disease, fifty thousand from heart-related conditions, and over 1.5 lakh need a kidney transplant, yet only around 5,000 receive one. More than one lakh people suffer from corneal blindness and await a transplant. The numbers speak to a systemic loss of life that could have been prevented. One organ donor can save up to eight lives and improve the quality of life for at least fifty people by donating organs and tissues such as kidneys, liver, heart, lungs, pancreas, intestines, corneas, bones, and skin. Tragically, many potential donors are lost due to a lack of consent, delay in certification, or absence of medical coordination. India witnesses over 1.5 lakh road accident deaths every year. Nearly half of these victims are in the 18-35 age group, people in otherwise good health who could become donors. 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The team working to save a life is entirely separate from the transplant team. The preservation of life is always the first priority. Others worry that organ donation will disfigure the body or prevent a traditional funeral. In truth, organ retrieval is conducted like any other surgery, and families can still perform last rites, including open-casket funerals. Some believe their religion doesn't allow organ donation. However, all major religions practised in India, including Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, and Buddhism, support donation as an act of charity and selflessness. Another persistent myth is the cost. In reality, donors or their families are not charged anything for organ donation. Brain death, the irreversible cessation of brain stem activity, is legally recognised in India and medically distinct from coma. Even though the heart may still beat with ventilator support, the person is considered legally dead. 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Religious leaders and community influencers should be encouraged to speak in favour of donation, reinforcing its moral and spiritual value. Hospitals must ensure the presence of trained transplant coordinators who can sensitively and effectively engage with families during their most vulnerable moments. Importantly, donor families must be publicly honoured, not for glorification, but to inspire. Organ donation is not about death; it is about the life that continues. It is the most generous legacy a person can leave behind. In a country like India, where acts of charity are deeply rooted in culture and faith, organ donation should be embraced not as an exception, but as an expectation. Let us not allow five lakh deaths each year to remain a silent statistic. Let us instead turn every lost life into a second chance for someone else. Authors: Dr. R.K. Dhiman – Director, Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS), Lucknow Dr. R. Harsvardhan – Medical Superintendent, SGPGIMS, Lucknow and Joint Director, State Organ &Tissue Transplant Organisation-UP
Hindustan Times
25-07-2025
- Hindustan Times
Tamil Nadu suspends organ transplant licence for 2 private hospitals
Tamil Nadu's health department has temporarily suspended the kidney transplant licences of two private hospitals — Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan Institute of Medical Sciences and Hospital in Perambalur and Cethar Hospital in Trichy — following an internal inquiry based on complaints alleging the existence of a widespread illegal kidney trade racket, officials aware of the matter said on Thursday. Tamil Nadu suspends organ transplant licence for 2 private hospitals The preliminary probe was conducted by S Vineeth, director of Tamil Nadu Health Systems Reform Project (TNHSRP). Further investigation based on several statements circulated online by alleged kidney donors is currently underway, added the officials. The probe committee headed by Vineeth, comprised Dr R M Meenakshisundari, joint director (Legal), Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services, Dr A Rajmohan, joint director of health services, Namakkal and Dr K Marimuthu, joint director of health services in Perambalur and Ariyalur. 'Based on the interim report filed by Dr Vineeth, the Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services (DMS) invoked Section 16 (2) of the Transplantation of Human Organs Act, 1994, and ordered the temporary suspension of kidney transplant licences given to both hospitals,' a statement from the health department said. Health minister M Subramanian had on July 18 ordered an inquiry into the suspected kidney trafficking racket in Namakkal district. A police complaint was filed on the same day against a man identified as M Anandan on suspicion of brokering illegal kidney donations from poor labourers working in power loom units and dyeing mills in Pallipalayam in the last six months. Organ donations in the state are regulated by Transplant Authority of Tamil Nadu (TRANSTAN), which operates as per India's Transplantation of Human Organs Act, 1994. 'Only voluntary organ donation is permissible. Any selling of any organs is a serious crime,' the health minister said last Friday, adding, 'Anyone found involved in such crime will face action.' The probe has not yet revealed those who have engaged and been complicit in the crime and how much money was allegedly given to the workers, added the officials quoted above.
NDTV
24-07-2025
- NDTV
2 Tamil Nadu Hospitals Lose Transplant Licences Over Alleged Kidney Racket
In a major crackdown on a suspected kidney transplantation racket, the Tamil Nadu government has suspended the kidney transplant licences of two private hospitals - Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan Medical College Hospital in Perambalur, and Cethar Hospitals in Trichy - following a preliminary probe conducted by the state health department. The action came in response to alarming allegations that a broker based in Namakkal was luring poor textile workers into selling their kidneys for money, bypassing organ donation laws. A multi-member team led by Project Director Dr S Vineeth, IAS, conducted field investigations and inspections at both hospitals and in affected areas. Based on their findings, the department submitted a preliminary report, following which the government, under Section 16(2) of the Transplantation of Human Organs Act, 1994, temporarily suspended the transplant licences of both hospitals. Several individuals who had donated kidneys have since come forward, sharing how they were promised money in exchange for their organs. In one telling instance, a mother of two children claimed she was paid Rs 6.5 lakh for donating a kidney to repay her family's debts and secure financial stability. She alleged that the procedure took place at Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan Medical College Hospital, where she was kept as an inpatient for a week for the transplant. While a police case has been registered and an investigation is underway, it remains unclear whether the hospitals and transplant surgeons were complicit in orchestrating the scam. The case also raises serious questions about the role and effectiveness of the authorisation or screening committees, which are mandated to rigorously verify the genuineness of the relationship between donors and recipients in cases of "living donor" transplants. Unlike cadaveric organ transplants, which are time-consuming and governed by a centralised waiting list, family or related donors can legally donate organs more easily - a loophole allegedly exploited by brokers. Investigators suspect that these middlemen supplied poor donors, preying on their financial desperation, to recipients under false relationships. The state government has reiterated its commitment to ethical transplant practices and has promised strict action against all individuals and institutions found to be in violation of the law. The case is likely to have wide-reaching implications for how transplant protocols are enforced and scrutinised in Tamil Nadu's private healthcare sector.
