Pune Liver Transplant Deaths: Family questions delay in medical negligence probe
Pune: More than a month after the death of a donor following a liver transplant surgery at Sahyadri Hospital, her family has alleged that the police have not yet taken the basic step of referring the case to Sassoon General Hospital’s medical board to investigate whether medical negligence was involved.
Medical Dialogues had previously reported that a woman who had donated a part of her liver to her husband tragically died after he passed away following a transplant surgery at Sahyadri Hospital in Pune, raising serious concerns about post-transplant complications. In response to the incident, the Maharashtra health department issued a notice to the hospital. The transplant took place on August 15 at the Deccan branch of Sahyadri Hospital, a well-known speciality facility. The patient, a 49-year-old man suffering from advanced liver disease, underwent the surgery with a liver donation from his wife.
Also read- Pune Liver transplant deaths: Health Dept sets up 8-member probe panel
The family had pinned all their hopes on the surgery, even taking out a Rs 12 lakh loan to fund the procedure. However, their worst nightmare unfolded just days later. The recipient passed away just two days after the procedure, on August 17. Four days later, on August 21, the donor also died.
Until allegations of negligence are proven, the health department has suspended the hospital’s liver transplant license temporarily and directed an expert committee to submit its report within four weeks.
Commenting on this regard, the deceased woman's brother told TOI, "There has been an unexplained delay at the administration's end. Police recorded our statements almost a month ago. Nothing has moved thereafter. The death of a healthy donor will certainly discourage people from coming forward to donate organs unless someone is held accountable".
Wadekar said, "It has been more than a month since my sister passed away. We have not yet received her post-mortem report. The authorities at Sassoon General Hospital said we would get it only after four to six months. It is a very long waiting time for a simple post-mortem report. There has been no update from the health department as well."
Meanwhile, Dr Yellapa Jadhav, the medical superintendent at Sassoon General Hospital, said, "We are yet to receive any official letter from the city police with regards to this case. Once we get it, we will formulate a medical negligence committee."
Also read- Donor, Recipient die after liver transplant; Health Dept issues notice to Sahyadri Hospital
