NEW DELHI, July 5: The Union Health Ministry has written to the ministries of External Affairs and Home Affairs underlining the need to sensitise foreign nationals visiting India for organ transplants about guidelines and legal requirements that regulate the process in the country.
In the letter, Union Health Secretary Apurva Chandra noted that India has emerged as one of the leading destinations for foreign nationals to get their organs transplanted owing to world-class health facilities and highly skilled medical professionals.
“It is essential for these foreign nationals visiting India for organ transplant to understand the specific guidelines and legal requirements that regulate the process of organ transplantation in India,” Chandra said in the letter addressed to Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla and Union Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra on June 19.
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![[ANCHOR]](https://thehillstimes.in/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ANCHOR-23.jpg "Patients can register for organ transplantation in any state: Govt")
In order to sensitise the foreign nationals who visit India on medical visa for organ transplantation along with addressal of their queries regarding rules pertaining to the same, the Ministry of Health has prepared scroll messages and creatives, and the Health secretary urged dissemination by displaying it on the websites/portals of Bureau of Immigration under Ministry of Home Affairs and at airports as well as on the websites of Ministry of External Affairs and Embassies and missions of India abroad.
“I shall be grateful if you could kindly look into the matter personally and direct the concerned authorities for ensuring that the enclosed messages may be circulated extensively through immigration for wide reach,” the letter said.
The scroll messages stated that when the donor or recipient is a foreign national, then prior approval of the authorization committee shall be required before removing or transplanting human organ or tissue or both.
No Indian living donor is permitted to donate his organ(s) to a foreigner, recipient unless he is a near relative of the recipient, the message stated.
A senior official of embassy of the country of origin in India is required to certify the relationship between the donor and the recipient as per form 21, the message states.
In case a country does not have an Embassy in India, the certificate of relationship, in the same format, shall be issued by the government of that country. Foreigner patients needing organ(s) from a deceased donor for transplant, can also seek registration in India through their treating hospital after which their name will be included in the waiting list registry.
However, such cases would be considered for allocation of organ only when there is no Indian patient, is available to take that organ.
In April, Dr Atul Goel, Director General of Health Services (DGHS) had urged all states and UTs to ensure regular collection and sharing of data of all transplant cases including those of foreigners, with National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO) on a monthly basis.
Referring to media reports on commercial dealings in organs involving foreign citizens Dr Goel stated, “It has also been noted from the registry of NOTTO, that there has been a surge in the number of organ transplants of foreigners in the country, which calls for monitoring of such transplants by concerned state or UT government authority.”
He had urged them to investigate any violations and take appropriate action, including suspension of registration for performing organ transplant, of the hospitals involved in illegal activities. (PTI)
