Govt. suspends kidney transplants for foreigners

By Uditha Jayasinghe 

The Government yesterday suspended all kidney transplants for foreigners following wide-scale investigations into organ smuggling cartels by Indian Police.

Earlier this week Indian police filed cases against six Sri Lankan doctors in relation to a kidney racket, on the charge of conducting an estimated 60 paid kidney transplants at private hospitals in the South Asian nation.

In response a fresh committee was appointed by the Health Ministry and Health Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne insisted legal action would be taken, if necessary, once the report was submitted next week. The committee is also tasked with establishing a new process to gain approvals for foreigners to have transplants in Sri Lanka.

“Under Sri Lankan law these doctors can lose their licenses to practice. So these are very serious charges that we need to investigate carefully,” he said. “One concern is that procuring kidneys for money could have spread to vulnerable plantation communities in Sri Lanka as well.”

The Minister also emphasised no decision has yet been taken to press charges against the private hospitals allegedly involved in the illegal transplants. Under current Sri Lankan law organ transplant operations require prior approval from the Health Ministry.

This is the second time an investigation is being commissioned on the matter. In 2014, the Health Ministry commissioned an inspection of all private hospitals in the country following accounts of illegal kidney transplants being carried out in private hospitals reported in both Indian and local papers.

However the investigations petered out with no legal action being taken against any of the private hospitals or doctors. Dr. Senaratne declined to comment on 2014 investigation as he was appointed as Health Minister only in 2015.  

Indian media this week reported on fresh arrests on the alleged kidney transplant racket. Reports also said that six Sri Lankan doctors attached to four private hospitals are involved in the racket. According to Indian Daily, The Hindu, all transplants had taken place in four Sri Lankan hospitals while all donors and recipients involved in the racket are from India.

Two of the hotels implicated in the allegations by Indian Police, Lanka Hospitals and Hemas Hospitals insisted that they follow all legal rules, when contacted by Daily FT, which includes getting Health Ministry approval for each operation. They also follow regulations stipulated in the Transplantation of Human Tissues Act and deal directly with the donors and recipients. No brokers and dealers are negotiated with by the hospitals.

Lanka Hospitals Acting Director of Medical Services Dr. K.T. Iraivan said in addition to the legal process the hospital also has an ethics committee that meets with donors and evaluates their situation before scheduling transplants, especially for foreign donors and recipients. The cases are evaluated, donors interviewed and medical check-ups done by the hospital before operations are allowed. He also said the six doctors named by Indian police are not surgeons but medical officers (doctors) who function as “transplant coordinators” at the four hospitals. Dr. Niroshini Ganegoda named by Indian police had resigned from Lanka Hospitals two months ago to pursue a better career opportunity but was not a surgeon. 

“Lanka Hospitals began kidney transplants in 2002 and since then has performed over a hundred operations. We have all the documents, approvals and procedures of each operation including the minutes kept at Ethical Committee meetings. We would never do anything against ethics as we are deeply conscious of our responsibility towards donors. We are deeply concerned by these charges but reiterate that each operation was done legally.” 

Hemas Group Director of Clinical Excellence Dr. A. Panna insisted all kidney transplants are done according to the laws of Sri Lanka and after authorisation of the Health Ministry.

She also noted the committee is aware such allegations could damage Sri Lanka’s attempts to promote itself as a medical tourism destination.