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Thiruvananthapuram : A Christian priest, who was denied permission by a government hospital to donate his kidney to a critically-ill teenaged girl on technical grounds, has launched an indefinite fast here seeking permission to carry out the transplant.Hearing the plight of the 16-year-old Jayasree through media reports, Fr Santhosh George of the Malankara Orthodox
Church had a few days ago volunteered to donate one of his kidneys to the girl whose both the kidneys had failed.
Jayashree, who is from a poor family here, was advised an emergency surgery by doctors and it was then that her
relatives approached a local television channel. On seeing the story on the channel, Fr George came forward with his offer.
However, the authorities of Medical College here, where the girl has been undergoing treatment for the past six months,
denied permission to donate the vital organ citing a Central Government rule which forbids kidney transplant in government
hospitals if the donor is no blood relation of the patient.
Fr George, a priest who is now serving in an Orthodox church in Puducherry, said it was 'cruel' to prevent him from
donating the organ as the health condition of the girl is deteriorating fast.
'As per the rule, only those having blood relation with the patient could donate kidneys,' he said. But even if the kidney
donation is done in a private hospital, a certificate of permission must be obtained from the state government
appointed panel of doctors to monitor kidney donations attached to the respective medical colleges in the region
where the surgery would be done, he told PTI.
'The rule is actually good as it will help to curb illegal organ trade. But, it will adversely affect the genuine cases
like this,' he said.
When contacted, the hospital authorities said that under the Human Organ Transplantation Act, only father, mother, siblings, children or spouses of a patient are the legal donors. If any of them was not fit, the matter had to be referred to a state level committee.
In Jayasree's case, her father's kidney matches that of the patient. However, the patient's relative complained that
the man is mentally deranged. The authorities have suggested the family to obtain a certificate from a psychiatrist about
the patient's father's mental health condition so that the panel could consider the offer made by the priest.
The parents of the girl, who have spent all their meagre means for the treatment of their daughter, could not take her
to a private hospital as the operation would cost at least Rs 10 lakh there.
However, the same surgery could be performed at a cost of Rs 3.5 lakh at a government hospital, Fr George said.
'All rules should be for the beneficial of people. An amendment in the guidline will benefit a large number of poor
patients. My fast is an attempt to open the eyes of authorities,' he said.
Former Supreme Court Judge Justice V R Krishna Iyer inaugurated the fast before the Secretariate complex here on
Wednesday. Several NGOs and humanrights activists have come out in support to the priest.
The Sathya Sai Orphanage Trust at Thonnakkal near here hs agreed to meet the expenses of the transplantation. PTI
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Church had a few days ago volunteered to donate one of his kidneys to the girl whose both the kidneys had failed.
Jayashree, who is from a poor family here, was advised an emergency surgery by doctors and it was then that her
relatives approached a local television channel. On seeing the story on the channel, Fr George came forward with his offer.
However, the authorities of Medical College here, where the girl has been undergoing treatment for the past six months,
denied permission to donate the vital organ citing a Central Government rule which forbids kidney transplant in government
hospitals if the donor is no blood relation of the patient.
Fr George, a priest who is now serving in an Orthodox church in Puducherry, said it was 'cruel' to prevent him from
donating the organ as the health condition of the girl is deteriorating fast.
'As per the rule, only those having blood relation with the patient could donate kidneys,' he said. But even if the kidney
donation is done in a private hospital, a certificate of permission must be obtained from the state government
appointed panel of doctors to monitor kidney donations attached to the respective medical colleges in the region
where the surgery would be done, he told PTI.
'The rule is actually good as it will help to curb illegal organ trade. But, it will adversely affect the genuine cases
like this,' he said.
When contacted, the hospital authorities said that under the Human Organ Transplantation Act, only father, mother, siblings, children or spouses of a patient are the legal donors. If any of them was not fit, the matter had to be referred to a state level committee.
In Jayasree's case, her father's kidney matches that of the patient. However, the patient's relative complained that
the man is mentally deranged. The authorities have suggested the family to obtain a certificate from a psychiatrist about
the patient's father's mental health condition so that the panel could consider the offer made by the priest.
The parents of the girl, who have spent all their meagre means for the treatment of their daughter, could not take her
to a private hospital as the operation would cost at least Rs 10 lakh there.
However, the same surgery could be performed at a cost of Rs 3.5 lakh at a government hospital, Fr George said.
'All rules should be for the beneficial of people. An amendment in the guidline will benefit a large number of poor
patients. My fast is an attempt to open the eyes of authorities,' he said.
Former Supreme Court Judge Justice V R Krishna Iyer inaugurated the fast before the Secretariate complex here on
Wednesday. Several NGOs and humanrights activists have come out in support to the priest.
The Sathya Sai Orphanage Trust at Thonnakkal near here hs agreed to meet the expenses of the transplantation. PTI
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