New Delhi: The National Organ and Tissue Transplantation Organisation (NOTTO) under the Union Health Ministry ordered an inquiry into allegations of cash-for-kidney scam against Indraprastha Apollo hospital, official sources said Tuesday.
The Indraprastha Medical Corporation Ltd (IMCL) on Monday asserted that it follows every legal and ethical requirement for transplants, including government guidelines, refuting a report which alleged that it was involved in "cash-for-kidney racket".
"The NOTTO under the Union Health Ministry has asked the SOTTO (State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation) to inquire into the matter," an official source said on Tuesday. The IMCL, a part of the Apollo Hospitals group, said each foreign donor is required to provide a certification from their respective foreign governments that the donor and recipient are indeed related before undertaking transplant.
"To be clear, the IMCL complies with every legal and ethical requirement for the transplant procedures including all guidelines laid down by the government as well as our own extensive internal processes that exceed compliance requirements," a company spokesperson said. The spokesperson was responding to a query about an international media report which has alleged that the hospital is involved in a "cash-for-kidney racket", with poor people from Myanmar being enticed to sell their organs for profit.
Elaborating on the hospital's process on kidney transplant, the spokesperson said the IMCL requires every donor to provide Form 21 notarised by the appropriate ministry in their country. "This form is a certification from the foreign government that the donor and recipient are indeed related," the spokesperson said and added that the government-appointed transplant authorisation committee at IMCL reviews documents for each case and interviews the donor and the recipient.
According to the spokesperson, IMCL re-validates the documents with the embassy concerned of the country. The patients and donors undergo several medical tests, including genetic testing. "These and many more steps far exceed any compliance requirements for a transplant procedure and ensure that donor and recipient are indeed related as per applicable laws. IMCL remains committed to the highest standards of ethics and to delivering on our mission to bring the best healthcare to all," the spokesperson asserted. Delhi-based Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals is a multi-specialty tertiary acute care hospital with more than 710 beds.
