Fortis Hospital loses organ transplant license

BANGALORE: The state government has cancelled the licence of Fortis Hospital to conduct human organ transplants, after it carried out a transplant surgery without valid permission. The licence cancellation order came in response to a complaint lodged by Retd Major Pankaj Rai, whose wife died after a pancreas transplant surgery was carried out on her in the Fortis Hospital situated on Bannerghatta Road. Following Major Rai’s complaint the Department of Health and Family Welfare, on September 12 cancelled Fortis Hospital’s licence under the Transplantation of Human Organs Act, 1994, for violation of the same.The decision of the state government came after the Lokayukta found that the hospital had the permission only to carry out transplantation of kidney, liver and homograft.On March 2, 2010, 44-year-old Seema Rai was operated for transplantation of pancreas and on May 6, 2010 she died due to septic shock. Pankaj Rai had alleged that his wife died due to negligence of the doctors at the hospital.He had also alleged that the hospital did not have the licence to conduct the pancreas transplant. The hospital was also accused of violating norms by not taking the consent of the patient’s family members before the operation was conducted.The investigation report by the Lokayukta also revealed that the signature on the consent form does not match the patient’s signature on her passport or the signature on the consent given for blood transfusion.