HC asks committee to allow kidney donation by distant relative

"Considering the facts and circumstances, and the urgency of the matter, I am inclined to require the Authorisation Committee (of the hospital) to forthwith grant its approval to the case of the petitioners (recipient and donor) for donation of one kidney by petitioner no. 2 (Israt) to petitioner no. 1 (Parveen Begum) in terms of their application.

"The formal approval should be granted within two days, failing which it shall be deemed that the said formal approval stands granted," Justice Vipin Sanghi said.

The court said "the petitioners shall be entitled to undergo the required medical procedures and operation for the purpose of carrying out the transplantation, as aforesaid."

Begum, 58 who has been on dialysis since June 2011, was advised kidney transplant and had found a donor in Israt, the maternal grand daughter of her (Begum's) uncle.

Begum, a resident of Daryaganj, moved the court after the Director General of Health Services, the Appellate Authority under the Transplantation of Human Organ and Tissues Act and Authorisation Committee for Human Organ Transplant of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital here refused to approve kidney donation to her by distant relative Israt, hailing from Meerut in UP.

The Appellate Authority had said "there is no substantial proof of association between the donor and the recipient. Husband and close relatives are not willing for donation. There is income disparity between the donor and the recipient."

The court set aside the decision of the authorities saying such donations could be "offered out of love and affection" also. (More)