Organ transplant: Delhi govt issues directive to hospitals

In the wake of the arrest of five persons, including two staff of a prominent multi-speciality hospital here, for allegedly running a kidney racket, the Delhi government today directed all hospitals, carrying out organ transplantation, to follow the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act.
"The Health Department of Delhi government hereby reiterates its directive that all hospitals in Delhi where organ transplantation is performed must follow the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act and the Rules in letter and spirit," an advisory by A K Saini, Medical Superintendent, Nursing Homes in the Health Department stated.
The Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act was passed in 1994 paving way for organ transplantation for therapeutic purposes in the country. The rules under the Act were updated in 2014.

"The basic premise behind the Act and the Rules has been to ensure that donation of organs (especially from a living donor) is purely altruistic and it is free from any financial transaction ... And there is no pressure or coercion of any kind on the donor," the advisory said.