DHS probing ‘illegal kidney transplant’

The Directorate of Health Services (DHS) is investigating another case of an alleged illegal kidney transplant at a prominent city hospital. The DHS is taking cognisance of a written complaint submitted by a woman, a resident of Arnala, Virar, who alleges that the employers of her daughter, Rufina, lured her into the racket.

The complainant in the letter identifies herself as Martha Khavari and alleges that hospital authorities told Rufina that she would need to undergo a transplant surgery and Martha was made the donor. The complaint letter, which is in Marathi, states that Rufina worked as a maid in the house of one Tom and Maggi, when one day she felt dizzy and was rushed to a city hospital. “The doctors at the hospital informed her that both her kidneys were not functioning properly and she would have to undergo a transplant surgery. After this, I agreed to be a donor and give her one of my kidneys,” states the complaint.

The letter adds that Rufina was admitted on April 4, 2015 and the transplant surgery was done on April 8, 2015. It further states that after the surgery, Tom informed Martha that she would be “well compensated.” “He told me ‘you will make double the amount you make as fisherwoman’,” states the letter.

In addition to this, Martha alleges that her daughter had to be taken to the hospital after a year and when she was admitted, Tom gave Rs 17,000 to Martha’s son and asked him to pay Rs 10,000 to a man identified only as Nilesh. It also alleges that during the transplant too ‘Nilesh’ was allegedly accompanying the family and Tom everywhere.

She has alleged that the whole cost of the operation was borne by Tom, Maggi and Nilesh. She has asked the DHS to investigate whether “her daughter’s kidneys were indeed not functioning properly and a transplant was crucial and also whether her kidney was indeed used for her daughter or sold to a third party.”

DHS sources said the letter was handed over to them on Monday afternoon. “We will send a letter to the said hospital and ask it to send documents about this specific transplant surgery. We will look into the allegations,” said a DHS source.