Illegal kidney transplants were already completed by the time Alaknanda Hospital was seized

The management and transplant surgeons at Alaknanda Hospital proceeded with high-risk organ transplant surgeries without obtaining prior permission from health authorities. The intricate kidney transplants have already been conducted, and the identities of the surgeons involved in performing these procedures remain unknown.

Hyderabad: Even before health and police officials could seize Alaknanda Hospital in Saroornagar on Tuesday, transplant surgeons, apparently invited from other states, brazenly and illegally completed kidney transplantation without any approvals, between donors and recipients.

When the actual raid took place, a total of four patients, two each from Karnataka and Tamilnadu, were recovering from kidney transplant surgeries at Alaknanda Hospital.

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The management and transplant surgeons of Alaknanda Hospital did not take any permission from health authorities and brazenly went ahead with the risky organ transplant surgeries. The complex kidney transplantations were already performed and the identities of surgeons who undertook the surgeries are yet to be ascertained.

“Two male and two female patients were admitted for post-operative recovery at our hospital on Tuesday evening. All the four patients are under the care of our Urology and Nephrology teams and so far they are in a stable health condition,” Dr Ch Rajkumari, Gandhi Hospital Superintendent, said.

The Alaknanda Hospital had only permission to operate a 9-bedded health care facility and did not have regulatory approvals for organ transplantation. The hospital received permission based on a doctor who completed his MBBS degree from Uzbekistan, a Plastic Surgeon and a physician.

“The hospital did not have any approvals to take-up such high-end transplant surgeries. The specialists from Urology and Nephrology who conducted the surgeries are missing. Investigations are on and a comprehensive report will be submitted in the coming days,” Rangareddy district health official said.

What are the rules and guidelines for organ donation?

Organ transplantations in India can be conducted through donated organs from a brain dead patient, which is known as cadaver donor organ transplantation. The State-run Jeevandan organ donation initiative is based on the cadaver organ donation program.

The second-way to conduct organ transplants is through living-related, which means blood relatives like grandchildren, parents and grandparents and even spouses (near relatives).

Organ donation can also be done through a non-relative donor but it needs special permission from the State Government Authorization Committee, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Director of Medical Education (DME).