Health Min orders Delhi Health Secy to probe cash-for-kidney scam, Apollo Hospital denies allegations

New Delhi, Dec 6 (IANS) The Health Ministry’s National Organ and Tissue Transplantation Organisation (NOTTO) is investigating claims of a cash-for-kidney scam at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital. The State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (SOTTO) will also look into the matter.

NOTTO has also instructed Delhi Health Secretary SB Deepak Kumar to examine the issue and provide a report within a week.

Allegations involve villagers from Myanmar being flown to Apollo’s Delhi hospital to donate kidneys to wealthy Burmese patients, as per the reports.

In response, Indraprastha Medical Corporation Ltd (IMCL) denies the allegations, calling them false and misleading.

IMCL asserts compliance with legal and ethical transplant procedures, exceeding government guidelines and internal processes.

“The allegations made in the recent international media against IMCL are absolutely false, ill-informed and misleading. All the facts were shared in detail with the journalist concerned. To be clear, IMCL complies with every legal and ethical requirement for the transplant procedures including all guidelines laid down by the government as well as our own extensive internal processes that exceed compliance requirements,” said the spokesperson.

“For example, IMCL requires every donor to provide Form 21 notarised by the appropriate ministry in their country. This form is a certification from the foreign government that the donor and recipient are indeed related,” said the spokesperson.

“The government appointed transplant authorisation committee at IMCL reviews documents for each case including this certification and interviews the donor and the recipient. It further re-validates the documents with the embassy of the country. The patients and donors undergo several medical tests, including genetic testing,” said the spokesperson.

“These and many more steps far exceed any compliance requirements for a transplant procedure and ensure that donor and recipient are indeed related as per applicable laws. IMCL remains committed to the highest standards of ethics and to delivering on our mission to bring the best healthcare to all,” the spokesperson added.

Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, a Delhi-based multi-specialty facility, faces scrutiny amid modifications to National Organ Transplantation Guidelines by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

–IANS

ssh/rad