High Court’s strict action on organ transplant case in PGI, answer sought for delay in treatment

Organ Transplant in PGI; In Haryana, Punjab and Chandigarh, patients have to wait nearly five years for organ transplants, while due to lack of proper policy, 90 percent of patients waiting for organs die. The Punjab and Haryana High Court has sought an answer from the Central Government and PGI Chandigarh regarding this appalling situation.

The petition filed by lawyer Ranjan Lakhanpal alleged that despite the availability of organ donors, transplants are not being carried out, leading to thousands of deaths due to lack of timely treatment.

Nephrology operation theater of PGI closed for three years

The petition states that the operation theater of the Department of Nephrology at PGI is closed from August 2021, which is severely affecting kidney transplants. Patients from several North Indian states including Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir depend on PGI for transplants.

More than 200,000 patients in the country need kidneys

The petitioner told the court that around 200,000 people are currently in need of kidneys in the country. An organ donor can save nine lives, but due to the lack of effective policies, most patients die on the waiting list.

Limbs can be removed

According to the petition, many vital organs, such as eyes, kidneys, lungs, heart, liver, can be donated from a deceased person, but despite this, due to lack of a systematic system, they are not being utilized properly.

During the hearing on Friday, the central government told the court that most of the deficiencies pointed out in the petition had been removed, but the petitioner rejected it, saying that several serious deficiencies still remained.

Thereafter, the High Court directed both the Central Government and PGI Chandigarh to file detailed replies on all the points raised in the petition. A sluggish organ transplant system and lack of policy are costing thousands of lives in northern India. Now, after the high court’s stricture, it is hoped that the Center and concerned bodies will soon take concrete action.