Kidney transplant racket: health dept, police to coordinate

The Punjab Health Department has appointed senior officials to assist police in order to uncover if some department officials are involved in a kidney transplant racket uncovered recently, Pakistan Today has learnt. According to details, an additional secretary and the Lahore health EDO have been tasked with assisting police in not only preparing a strong case against the accused but also to further probe department officials involved in the heinous crime.
On the other hand, the Mayo Hospital administration has not been able to trace out Dr Ali Imran who, according to police investigation, worked in the hospital’s anaesthesia department. Mayo Hospital Medical Superintendent (MS) Dr Zahid Pervaiz said that the administration has gone through record of the anaesthesia department but in vain. “Now, we are looking for the accused in the record of post graduate residents in the hospital. There could be some mistake as well but the administration is trying to search for his (Imran’s) record nonetheless,” he added.
Punjab Health Secretary Jehanzaib Khan said that illegal kidney transplant is a criminal offence and police is investigating the matter. He said that senior health department officials are assisting police in preparing a strong case against the accused and to further probe if any department officials are involved in it. “It is obvious that a few doctors cannot run a set up like this and may be some other officials are also involved in the crime,” he said adding that the health department will initiate action against anyone who is found involved.
Lahore Health EDO Dr Umar Farooq said that either the direct victim of kidney transplant or a relative could be a complainant in the case in absence of which the case is referred to the Human Organ Transplant Authority (HOTA). “Police has now referred it to HOTA and health department is not a party to it anymore. The department will initiate action against officials pointed out by police,” he said. To a question, Farooq said that he has not received any written order to probe any department officials involved.