Borella organ trafficking racket: petition by private hospital fixed for consideration

The petition filed by a private hospital in Borella requesting the cancellation of a letter issued by the Director General of Health Services (DGHS) suspending all kidney transplant procedures at the hospital until further notice, has been fixed for consideration on 10 January 2023 by the Court of Appeal.

The court also ordered the DGHS to inquire into the condition of two patients scheduled to undergo kidney transplants at the said private hospital, namely Western Hospital, and take the necessary measured in this regard.

The petition was called before a bench of the Court of Appeal, comprising of Judges Sobhitha Rajakaruna and Dhammika Ganepola this morning (16 Dec).

Earlier this month, Ada Derana’s “Ukussa” exposed a large-scale organ trafficking racket at a private hospital in Borella, following which the Ministry of Health appointed a seven-member committee to investigate the matter.

Nearly a week after the incident, Western Hospital issued a press release pertaining to the matter, refuting claims that they were involved in any such racket.

“Western Hospital in no circumstances, has been involved, nor would we ever be involved in any manner whatsoever in ‘organ trafficking’ or the ‘smuggling of organs’, the statement read, adding that the hospital was the first to do both, kidney transplants and the dialysis process in Sri Lanka.