Thiruvananthapuram: Health minister K K Shailaja said that strict regulations issued by the state government would make it impossible for anyone to force relatives of a brain-dead person to indulge in organ trading in the state. The minister was responding to a submission moved by CPM MLA P K Sasi during Zero Hour in the Assembly on Monday. Mr Sasi said that organ trade was rampant in the state, and quoted the market prices for organs. He said heart and lungs were sold for Rs 50 lakh, and liver for Rs 60 lakh.
Ms Shailaja said that the state government had imparted greater clarity on organ transplant through a government order on February 1, 2017. She said that there was an "Authorisation Committee” to monitor all ‘organ donation’-related activities in the state. The regional ACs function out of government medical colleges. The committee will examine the relationship between the donor and recipient in cases where the organ is donated by close relatives.
It will also check whether there is any exploitation involved in donations involving strangers, the reasons for donation and the circumstances. It will also ensure that middlemen were not involved. The committee will check embassy records if either the donor or the recipient is a foreigner. “Organ transplant can take place only after the donor, the recipient, and the relatives of the donor submit themselves to the scrutiny of the Authorisation Committee,” the minister said.
