Apollo Hospital Accused Of Being Part Of 'Kidney Racket', Purchasing Organs From Poor People In Myanmar
One of India's largest hospital chains, the Chennai-based Apollo Hospitals, has been accused of being a part of a 'cash for kidneys' racket, involved in purchasing organs from impoverished people from Myanmar.
According to a report by UK-based The Telegraph, the Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals in New Delhi was involved in flowing poor villagers from Myanmar to the Indian capital and paying to donate their kidneys to rich Burmese patients.
How the racket was uncovered
The report claimed that the illegal' cash for kidneys' racket was uncovered through the case of one Daw Soe Soe, a 58-year-old patient who paid 8 million Myanmar kyat for a new kidney in September 2022.
The organ transplant was conducted at the Indraprastha Hospital in Delhi, and her donor was a complete stranger.
Based on the information, an undercover reporter posing as the relative of a patient requiring a transplant contacted Apollo's Myanmar offices and was told that a stranger would be sourced to donate their kidney.
What the report said
A representative of Apollo in Myanmar allegedly told the reporter that "It's easy to find a donor" and that 80 per cent of transplants facilitated in Myanmar are between strangers. "Only 20 per cent are relatives," he said.
What Apollo said
Reacting to the report, the Indraprastha Medical Corporation Ltd (IMCL), which owns the hospital network, asserted that it follows every legal and ethical requirement for transplants, including government guidelines.
The hospital, 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 a transplant.
"To be clear, 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.
What is the process for transplant??
Elaborating on the hospital's process for a kidney transplant, the spokesperson said 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 concerned embassy 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.
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