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Friday Dec 13, 2024
Monday, 25 January 2016 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The Government Medical Officers Association of Sri Lanka (GMOA) yesterday said it suspects hidden motives behind the allegations of a kidney racket involving Indian patients and Sri Lankan doctors.
Secretary of the GMOA Dr. Nalinda Herath claimed that there is an attempt by India to discredit Sri Lankan doctors through the allegations.
He said that as far as the GMOA is aware, the Indian police have yet to formally inform Sri Lanka about the involvement of Sri Lankan doctors in the racket. Indian police had said that they are looking to question six doctors practicing in Colombo and some Indian doctors working in different hospitals in Ahmedabad, Gujarat over the recently busted kidney racket. While the doctors in Colombo had performed surgeries related to transplantation of kidneys, the doctors in Ahmedabad conducted diagnostic tests on the patients and donors. Nalgonda Superintendent of Police Vikram Jeet Duggal had said that to take the case to the logical end, interrogation of the doctors in Colombo is necessary. Dr. Nalinda Herath said that the GMOA has recently spoken against a proposed trade agreement between India and Sri Lanka and he feels the allegations being raised against Sri Lankan doctors are part of attempts by India to take revenge on Sri Lankan doctors for attempting to block the trade deal.
He also said that earlier Sri Lankans used to visit India to conduct kidney transplants legally but with the facilities now available on Sri Lanka, not just Sri Lankans but even Indians are having it done in Sri Lanka legally but the Indian police are claiming it is being done illegally as part of a major kidney racket. The Sri Lanka Health Ministry had last week temporarily suspended kidney transplants for foreigners at Government and private hospitals after the racket in India was linked to the six local doctors. A three member committee has also been appointed to investigate the alleged kidney racket.
Health Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne had ordered a full investigation into claims by the Indian police that the doctors attached to some private hospitals had conducted kidney transplants for Indians who were involved in a major kidney racket. (Colombo Gazette)
