The Telegraph released an exclusive report claiming that there is an extensive illicit cash-for-kidney transplant scheme purportedly linked to Apollo Hospitals in Delhi, prompting an investigation by Delhi authorities.
The report alleges that individuals from Myanmar were enticed into selling their kidneys to affluent patients, potentially infringing upon Indian and international laws prohibiting organ trafficking. The investigation highlights the alleged fabrication of documents and photos to falsely depict familial ties between donors and recipients, ostensibly bypassing stringent regulations governing directed organ donations.
Renowned surgeon Sandeep Guleria, who was implicated in the report, refutes any association with the scheme. Indraprastha Medical Corporation Limited, the hospital’s parent company, vehemently denies the allegations, asserting strict adherence to legal and ethical transplant protocols.
In a letter reviewed by Reuters, the National Organ and Tissue Transplantation Organisation (NOTTO), a division of the Health Ministry, requested Delhi Health Secretary SB Deepak Kumar investigate the matter. The letter urges the submission of a report detailing the actions taken within one week.
Similar allegations surfaced against Apollo Hospitals in Delhi in 2016, involving accusations of illegal organ trade.
Source: Jurist