TN Govt to strengthen SAC

Chennai, Apr 17 (UNI) The Tamil Nadu government will take steps to strengthen the State Authorisation Committee (SAC), which provides licence for hospitals to perform organ transplantation, and warned of stringent action against the hospitals and doctors performing illegal transplants.

Replying to a special call attention motion moved by the Congress and the PMK on illegal sale of kidneys by women affected by tsunami, Health Minister K K S S R Ramachandran told the State Assembly that the Committee would be strengthened by inducting police and revenue personnel, besides legal experts and NGOs.

This would help in preventing illegal organ transplantation, especially kidney transplant, he said.

The government's announcement assumes significance, especially in the wake of tsunami affected women being cheated by kidney brokers, who lured them to sell their kidneys.

He also said the government would take stringent action both against the hospital and the doctors for performing illegal transplants, even while protecting the interests of the patients.

Observing that cadaver transplantation would be the best thing for future transplants, Mr Ramachandran said the government had been taking steps in this direction.

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