Kidney racket: Hyderabad hospital comes under scanner
Hyderabad: The Saroornagar kidney racket has been a narrative of ruthless exploitation, with the victims, including widows from Tamil Nadu's Trichy, allegedly duped by a broker into donating their kidneys for transplantation to unknown and ostensibly well-off recipients.
The broker reportedly struck a deal with the recipients for ₹50 lakh while promising the donors ₹4 lakh each, only to leave them in the lurch without making any payment for their humane act.
The donors, identified as Nasreen, 35, and Firdaus, 40, underwent surgeries alongside the recipients Rajasekhar, 67, a lawyer, and Krupa Latha, 48, who is believed to be a medical professional. All four are under observation at Gandhi hospital, receiving post-operative care.
Meanwhile, Dr. Ch. Rajkumari, medical superintendent of Gandhi hospital, said “The condition of each of them is stable. Our nephrology and urology department heads are overseeing their care.”
Sources revealed that the donors and their recipients were kept in separate high-security wards at the hospital. The recipients were admitted in the nephrology wing, while the donors were in the respiratory intensive care unit (RICU).
Krupa Latha, accompanied by her husband, travelled from Karnataka, while Rajasekhar came to the city accompanied by his son.
Following the exposure, health minister Damodar Rajanarsimha ordered a full-fledged inquiry into the entire sordid racket.
A three-member committee, comprising Dr. B. Nagender, former superintendent of Osmania general hospital (OGH), Dr Kiran Mai from OGH's nephrology department and Dr Mallikharjun from the urology department, has been constituted to investigate the murky goings on.
Taking suo motu cognisance, the Telangana Medical Council issued notices to all hospitals seeking details about their respective registrations with the Jeevandan organ transplantation programme and the credentials of the transplant surgeons. The council will also probe unauthorised transplants in hospitals outside the state’s 41 designated centres.
Alakananda Hospital, where the surgeries occurred, was sealed on Wednesday.
All surgeons found guilty of involvement in the racket would be deregistered from the council registry. "Their licences may also be revoked," a council member said.
Dr. Srinivas Gundagani, vice-chairman of the Telangana Medical Council, admitted gaps in oversight, stating, “We can only act after receiving complaints.”
The Saroornagar police are investigating Alakananda Hospital’s role in the unauthorized transplants. The case, registered on Tuesday after a raid by health and police officials, led to the arrest of a hospital management member, while the doctors have since fled.
According to DMHO B. Venkat Rao, the surgeries were performed on January 17.
Police have charged the hospital under the Transplantation of Human Organs Act (Sections 18, 19a, and 19b) and the BNS Act (Sections 118 and 118(1)), citing illegal transplants and commercial dealings in human organs.
Police officials also confirmed that Alakananda Hospital lacked the required permissions for performing transplant surgeries.
Apart from medical violations, the investigation will examine financial transactions linked to the procedures.
Police are gathering evidence and trying to trace backgrounds of the donors, recipients and all intermediaries involved in the scandal.