Alarmed at the kidney transplant racket which was busted in Jaipur, where a Bangladeshi national was found to have undergone a kidney removal procedure under suspicious financial arrangements, the  Union health ministry has directed all states and Union Territories (UTs) to investigate violations and take necessary action against hospitals involved in illegal organ transplants.

The recent case of the organ trafficking racket, involving Bangladeshi nationals, in Haryana and Rajasthan, seemed like a warning bell for the authorities, calling for urgency to address illegal organ trafficking and ensuring ethical transplant practices across the country.

Dr Atul Goel, Director General of Health Services (DGHS), Union Health Ministry in a letter to the States and authorities emphasized the need for regular collection and sharing of transplant data, including cases involving foreign nationals, with the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) on a monthly basis.

He highlighted a surge in organ transplants involving foreigners and stressed the importance of monitoring such cases.

The letter, issued on April 10, instructed the appropriate state authorities to investigate transplant cases involving foreign nationals and take action in case of any violations of the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act (THOTA), 1994.

This includes suspension of registration for hospitals engaged in illegal activities.

“Investigate any violation of the THOTA, 1994 and rules thereunder and take appropriate action including suspension of registration for performing Organ Transplant, of the hospitals involved in illegal activities,” the letter said.

Furthermore, the ministry mandated the generation of a unique NOTTO-ID for both donors and recipients in all transplant cases, ensuring compliance with allocation protocols and timely identification.

Regular inspections of registered transplant hospitals were also recommended to monitor activities and ensure quality transplantation.

 “It should be ensured that a unique NOTTO-ID for both donor and recipient is generated by the hospital from NOTTO website (Notto.Mohfw.Gov.In), in all cases of organ transplant, whether from a living donor or deceased donor,” the letter said.

Despite previous requests, complete transplant data, especially regarding foreign cases, has not been consistently shared with NOTTO. The health ministry urged states and UTs to submit an action-taken report on these instructions within 15 days.

A senior official from the Ministry said “the involvement of foreign nationals in these cases adds another layer of complexity, necessitating enhanced monitoring and regulation to prevent exploitation and uphold ethical standards in organ transplantation.”