Latest news with #TransplantationofHumanOrgansandTissuesAct
Mint
an hour ago
- Health
- Mint
Centre moves to enhance organ transplant services in govt hospitals after review shows capacity constraints
New Delhi: The Union government is preparing to help public hospitals perform more organ transplants after a review showed only a fourth of the 18,000 transplants in 2023 were done by them. The health ministry has completed a 2023 assessment of all government institutions with a license for organ transplants and it is now in the process of reconciling last year's data. A lack of medical expertise and dedicated ICU beds for transplant patients have been identified as the main stumbling blocks. Around 90 government hospitals have a license to conduct organ transplants – a procedure that is expensive in private hospitals but within the reach of the poor in government ones. Also read: Experts call for tracking source, transmission of new covid cases Organ donation guidelines are given in the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act, 1994 and the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Rules, 2014. These are monitored and regulated by the National Organ Tissue and Transplant Organization (Notto). 'Right now, Notto is assessing the government institutions having the license to conduct organ transplant procedures. This is being done because these centres are under-performing. More than 90 institutions have valid licenses from state government authorities to conduct the organ transplants. The central government is trying to understand where are the gaps and what are the challenges hospitals are facing and where things need to be strengthened and improved," said a senior government official familiar with the matter, requesting anonymity. India faces a massive shortage of organs for transplants because of cultural reasons and a general lack of awareness, although the number of transplants has significantly increased from 4,990 in 2013 to 18,378 in 2023. It stood at 14,155 between January and September, 2024. However, around 75% of these transplants took place in private hospitals in 2023. Also read: Centre asks states to ramp up healthcare preparedness as covid cases rise Capacity issues identified The health ministry has held wide consultations with hospital authorities from all over the country to discuss the matter. The last such meeting was held on Wednesday and involved all government transplant hospitals from states and UTs. 'We found major issues with the hospitals like lack of training of the medical experts to perform organ transplants, unavailability of trained doctors, and lack of ICU beds for transplant patients among others. We are also reconciling the transplant data shared by government hospitals to verify the number of transplants these hospitals are doing. We are exploring ways and means to see how we can increase the capacities of government hospitals," the official said adding that in the future some of the best performing hospitals can give training to the other hospitals. Some of the better performing government institutions include: AII India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS-New Delhi), Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS), Safdarjung Hospital, RML hospital, Institute of Kidney Diseases and Research Centre, PGI Chandigarh. 'There is no point in issuing new licenses to the institutions, until the existing ones are running properly. We are trying to strengthen the capacities of the government hospitals for both living donors and deceased organ transplants because there is a huge waiting list in hospitals," said the second official. Despite having the largest population in the world, the organ donation rate in India is less than 1 per million population. Spain, has the world's highest organ donation rate at around 48 per million population. Also read: Malayalam film actor Shine Tom Chacko's father dies in road accident in near Bengaluru, filmstar hospitalised In 2023, the union government launched guidelines for organ transportation to ensure a uniform organ transport policy. A person after his death can give new life to up to 8 people by donating vital organs such as kidney, liver, lung, heart, pancreas and intestines and improve the quality life of many more by donating tissues like cornea, skin, bone, heart valve etc. Queries sent to the health ministry remained unanswered till press time.
Time of India
30-05-2025
- Time of India
2 more accused held from Chennai in inter-state organ trafficking case
1 2 3 Hyderabad: Two more accused in the inter-state human organ trafficking case have been arrested by the Crime Investigation Department (CID), bringing the total number of arrests to 15. The organ racket was busted earlier this year at Alakananda Hospital in Saroornagar where illegal kidney transplants were done. The latest arrests include two Chennai residents – Shankaran alias Sai Shankaran (56) and N Ramya (36). They were picked up on May 26 from Chennai by a special CID team from Sangareddy. Authorities seized a passport and two mobile phones from their possession. Both were sent to judicial remand on Thursday. "The two supplied kidney transplant donors. They were identified based on the victim's statements and other evidence including hotel stay records of the victims in Hyderabad," a CID official said. According to investigators, the suspects targeted poor people from Tamil Nadu, luring them to Hyderabad with false employment promises. "For each illegal transplant, the accused received approximately Rs 10 lakh, with Rs 4-5 lakh being paid to the donors," said an official statement from CID director general Shikha Goel. The case was initially registered at Saroornagar police station under various sections of BNS and Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act before being transferred to the CID on April 24. The investigation has revealed a broader network involving several other suspects from Bengaluru. The CID team led by SP S Srinivas is currently pursuing seven more suspects who remain at large.
United News of India
29-05-2025
- United News of India
Telangana: CID arrests two more key accused in inter-state Human Organ trafficking case.
Hyderabad, May 29 (UNI) The Telangana CID arrested two more key accused from Chennai in connection with the inter-state human organ trafficking case. Earlier, 13 accused persons were arrested in this case, said Shikha Goel, Director General CID, Telangana, in a release here on Thursday. Based on a complaint from the Deputy DM & HO, Ranga Reddy, a criminal case was registered under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act, 1994, at Saroornagar Police Station, she said.. The case was later transferred to the CID for further investigation last month. On May 26, 2025, two more accused persons Shankaran alias Sai Shankaran (56) and N. Ramya (36)both residents of Chennai were apprehended in Chennai by a special team of CID. A passport and two mobile phones were seized from them. They were brought to Hyderabad on transit remand and produced before the Magistrate for judicial remand here on Thursday. The accused targeted innocent and economically disadvantaged individuals from Tamil Nadu by luring them with false promises of employment. The victims were trafficked to Hyderabad, where illegal kidney transplants were conducted with the assistance of other accused persons, including Pradeep (from Bangalore), Pavan, and his associates. For each illegal transplant, the accused received a commission of Rs. 10 lakhs, out of which Rs. 4–5 lakhs were given to the donors. Efforts are in progress to apprehend seven more absconding accused persons, including Pavan, Poornachander and their associates. UNI KNR BD
India Today
20-05-2025
- Health
- India Today
An organ donor can save seven lives: A full guide to this noble pledge
Organ donation is a life-saving medical intervention that has the power to transform lives. In India, the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) regulates, coordinates and promotes organ donation and transplantation. Dr Anant Kumar, chairman, urology, kidney transplant and robotics, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Saket, New Delhi, explains the humanity and technicalities of pledging your organs to save someone's donation can be categorised into two types: living organ donation and cadaveric (deceased) organ ORGAN DONATIONA healthy individual voluntarily donates an organ/tissue to a recipient in need. This is possible because some organs/tissues can be donated without significantly affecting the donor's health. The most commonly donated organs are kidney, liver, lung, pancreas, intestine, tissues (bone, skin). However, in clinical practice, only one kidney and part of the liver are (DECEASED) ORGAN DONATIONCadaveric donation takes place when a person is declared dead, either due to cardiac death or brain death. In such cases, multiple organs and tissues can be retrieved and transplanted to patients in and tissues that can be donated after death are heart, lung, liver, kidneys, pancreas, intestine, cornea (to restore vision), skin (for burn patients), heart valves, bones, tendons and DEATH AND ORGAN DONATIONadvertisementBrain death is a state in which a person has permanently lost all brain functions and reflexes, but their heart can still beat with medical support. Once brain death occurs, the body cannot survive. Some children, though, can survive with life support for 3-4 days.A team of independent doctors perform a series of clinical tests to confirm brain death. The process follows strict guidelines under the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act (THOTA), 1994 in key criteria are:Absent brainstem reflexes: No response to light, pain or other test: The patient is unable to breathe without ventilator of consciousness: No activity in the brain, confirmed through brain death is confirmed, the family is counselled about organ donation. If consent is given, organ retrieval is performed while the body is on artificial support to maintain OF NOTTONOTTO, operating under the Union ministry of health and family welfare, is responsible for regulation and coordination of organ donation, organ distribution and transplantation in India. Its functions are:Maintaining a database of patients awaiting transplants and allocating organs based on medical urgency and with hospitals, state authorities and transplant organisations to facilitate organ retrieval and educational programmes promoting organ ethical and legal guidelines are illegal organ trade and enforcing OF ORGAN DONATIONadvertisementFor living donation, the donor undergoes a comprehensive medical evaluation, including psychological counselling, to ensure they are fit for donation. Once found eligible, the organ is surgically retrieved and transplanted into the cadaveric donation, the patient is declared brain dead following strict medical protocols. Consent is thereby obtained from the family. The hospital informs NOTTO or a transplant organisation about the available organs. The organ allocation process takes place based on urgency and compatibility. Organs are retrieved and transported under sterile conditions to the recipient's ORGAN DONOR IS A HEROWith increasing awareness, better medical facilities and strong regulatory bodies like NOTTO, more people can be encouraged to become donors. Families of brain-dead individuals should consider organ donation as a way to give life even in death. By dispelling myths, legal hurdles and ethical challenges, India can progress towards a more efficient and compassionate organ donation donate your organs after death. You don't need organs in heaven. You can pledge organ donation now and let your family and friends know your wish. It will help them in taking a decision after your death. Be an organ donor and save up to seven to India Today Magazine
Time of India
04-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Allahabad HC quashes FIR against hosp over kidney removal allegation
Meerut: The Allahabad high court has quashed an FIR lodged against the owner of KMC Hospital and several doctors over the alleged illegal removal of a woman's kidney during surgery in 2017. The FIR was filed by Kavita Devi, 43, a resident of Bugrasi town, against the hospital and associated diagnostic centres. She named Dr Sunil Gupta, the hospital's owner, along with Dr Ajay N Vats, Dr Satish Arora, Dr Seema Vashney, Dr Pratibha Gupta, and Dr Nikita Jaggi in her complaint. Kavita claimed she underwent surgery at KMC Hospital in May 2017 for a health issue after Gupta advised an operation to repair internal organs, assuring her it would improve her condition. "I was discharged after the surgery with assurances that my kidneys were functioning properly," she had earlier told TOI. However, her health deteriorated over the years. On May 25, 2022, during a consultation with another doctor, an ultrasound revealed that one of her kidneys was missing. "Until then, the doctors at KMC advised me not to seek other opinions, even though my health continued to decline. They even conducted ultrasounds, but the reports falsely showed both kidneys intact," she alleged. Dr Sunil Gupta denied the charges, calling them "baseless". "This was sheer fraud, and there was not even an iota of truth in these accusations. I was subjected to extortion for the last six years. When the police didn't find merit in the case, the FIR was filed through the court. The high court rightly observed that there was no adequate evidence or medical basis to justify the FIR, and it has now been quashed," he told TOI. The FIR had been registered in Jan 2025 on the directions of a Bulandshahr court under BNS sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means), 506 (criminal intimidation), and Section 18 of the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act, 1994. SK Dixit, counsel for the hospital, said, "It was an attempt to extort money. When that failed, the FIR was lodged. The court's decision has brought us major relief."
