Bhubaneswar: Odisha Health & Family Welfare Minister Naba Kishore Das today hinted of stringent action against Apollo Hospital Bhubaneswar in the illegal kidney transplant case.
“I have already directed my department. The matter is being examined. After examination of the order, strong action will be taken as appropriate under the law,” informed Das speaking to reporters here on the reminder issued by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) seeking an Action Taken Report (ATR) in the illegal kidney transplant case involving Apollo Hospital Bhubaneswar.
The NHRC recently issued a reminder to the Odisha government seeking an ATR from the later in connection with illegal kidney transplantation.
The national rights body has also ordered the State government to pay a compensation of Rs 2, 00,000 to the victim Anil Kumar Swamy and submit proof of payment within January 25, 2020.
“….Chief Secretary, Govt of Odisha to pay Rs 2,00,000 to the victim Anil Kumar Swamy and submit proof of payment within 6 weeks positively failing which the Commission may be constrained to issue coercive process u/s 13 of the PHR Act, 1993. He is also directed to submit action taken report against the Apollo Hospital Bhubaneswar, Odisha u/s 16 of the Transplantation of Human Organs & Tissues Act, 1994 within the said period,” the NHRC had said in a reminder issued to the Chief Secretary, Odisha government recently.
The Commission has stated in its order has stated that pursuant to its directions, Apollo Hospital, Bhubaneswar had submitted a representation before it on September 12 this year.
The national rights body has said that the Apollo Hospital in its representation has revealed that donor was Jayaram Dora, brother of Raghabram Dora (recipient) and not Anil Kumar Swamy and on investigation, it was found that he was misrepresented as Jayaram Dora.
“It is quite unimaginative that the doctors of the hospital after taking a photograph of the donor removed kidney of another person and may not be involved in a large racket,” the Commission has observed in its order.
The Commission after examining the representation of Apollo Hospital has in its reminder to State government directed to take action against the erring hospital.
It may be pointed out here that the Commission in its order on August 8 this year had observed and directed the Chief Secretary to pay Rs 2,00,000 to the victim Anil Kumar Swamy and submit proof of payment within six weeks and submit action taken report u/s 16 of the Transplantation of Human Organs & Tissues Act, 1994 with regard to suspension/cancellation of registration of the Apollo Hospital Bhubaneswar, Odisha within 6 weeks positively failing which the Commission shall be constrained to issue coercive process u/s 13 of the PHR Act, 1993.
The matter relates to a kidney transplant surgery which was carried out in 2013 at Apollo Hospital in Bhubaneswar. It was alleged that the private hospital had taken out the kidney of one Anil Kumar Swamy through deception.