Even as the medical fraternity in the city grapples with the alleged kidney transplant racket in LH Hiranandani Hospital, a group of nephrologists and urologists on Saturday called on state health minister Dr Deepak Sawant asking for amendment of norms for the ethical committee to ensure hassle-free transplants.
Five doctors, including the CEO and medical director of Hiranandani Hospital, were arrested on Thursday late evening in connection with the kidney transplant scam.
The state’s inquiry committee, appointed to probe organ transplants in Hiranandani Hospital, has submitted its report, which has found the role of doctors negligent. The failure of the hospital’s ethical committee to stop the illegal kidney transplants has also been proved.
In this backdrop, demands have been made to amend the norms of ethical committee to make it more transparent.
“Doctors should be able to work in a fearless atmosphere,” said health minister Dr Sawant. “We will issue a GR soon after discussing the matter with the chief minister. The committee will ensure a fearless environment for doctors and put a stop to malpractices. A strict law will be imposed if someone shows misconduct. We are working on this and soon will come up with strict norms to avoid the negligence,” said Dr Sawant.
“I have urged nephrologists and urologists to go ahead with the transplants and not to stop surgeries. People who have been found guilty will be strictly punished. We are scrutinising the case in a fair way,” added Dr Sawant.
Meanwhile speaking to The Asian Age, urologist Dr Shrikant Badwe, president of Mumbai Urology Society, said, “After the arrest of doctors, we are all concerned. It’s a shock to the whole fraternity.”
Doctors associated with the Mumbai Urology Society had written a letter on this issue to the health department of the state informing it that they would not conduct surgeries on any new patients till the matter concerned is resolved.
