Delay in kidney transplant: HC seeks Centre's response

The Delhi High Court today sought responses from the Centre, the city government and Sir Ganga Ram Hospital on a plea of a man who alleged that his kidney transplant surgery has not been carried out so far by the hospital despite the fact that he has all necessary approvals.
Justice Vibhu Bakhru issued notice on the plea of Amit Prakash Aggarwal, suffering renal failure, and sought response from the Ministry of Health that the financial assistance from Prime Minister's Fund, which is expiring in September, be kept alive till the petition is decided.
Aggarwal, on dialysis, has moved the court seeking that the transplant be carried out before September when the financial assistance of Rs three lakh received from Prime Minister's Fund (PMF) will expire.

He has also alleged that the hospital is "denying kidney transplantation on one pretext or another", though he is having all requisite clearances and no objection certificates from the authorities concerned.
Central government Standing Counsel Anil Soni and advocate Naginder Benipal appeared for the ministry.
Aggarwal's both kidneys had failed in March 2013 and he has been on dialysis since then, his petition said, adding that he has also undergone various tests at the hospital since March this year.

He also said the authorisation committee of the hospital had on February 25, approved him for kidney transplant and initially set March 20 for the surgery.

However, the hospital refused to conduct the surgery saying the patient and the donor are not related, the petition has said.
Thereafter, after several representations, the hospital agreed to carry out the surgery on April 23, it said, adding that on that date he was again asked to undergo expensive tests.
He has moved the court apprehending his surgery might not be conducted before his financial assistance from PMF expires in September.
Aggarwal, a resident of Uttar Pradesh, has also said that he has received an additional financial assistance of Rs 3.3 lakh from the Chief Minister's Office of the state government, his petition has said.