Kingpin Of Kidney Racket Is a Top Nephrologist Of A Govt Hospital

Private Medical Institutions Development Unit of the Ministry of Health is to look into all kidney transplants done at private hospitals between January 2013 and April 2014. Donors, doctors and members of medical teams will be investigated for any illegal monetary transactions.

Several leading Private Hospitals in Sri Lanka are allegedly involved in the kidney racket which has already sent shock waves across Andra Pradesh, India. A team of the Andhra Pradesh police is expected to arrive in Sri Lanka shortly, to probe the mass-scale kidney racket involving some residents of Andhra Pradesh and also Sri Lankans, including leading Lankan nephrologists. 

The New Indian Express today said the kingpin of the kidney racket could well be a top nephrologist attached to a government hospital in Colombo.

According to the Hyderabad Police Commissioner, Anurag Sharma, Lankan doctors get INR 40 lakh to INR 50 lakh per transplant. This is clearly against the law. Regulations say that the patient should submit a lawyer-drafted affidavit saying that the donor is giving his kidney without any coercion or material consideration.

Director General of Health Services, Dr Palitha Mahipala, has appointed Dr Kanthi Ariyaratne, Director, Private Medical Institutions Development Unit, to conduct a thorough investigation into the scam and submit a report to Heath Minister Maithripala Sirisena within a month.