PANAJI: After Goa Medical College (GMC) and Hospital failed to get the organs of a brain dead patient earlier this month, health minister Vishwajit Rane slammed the entire operation as “absolutely illegal” and came down heavily on the health secretary and Manipal Hospital on Friday.He stated that no hospital in the state other than GMC would be permitted to carry out organ transplants. On April 6, the organs of a person who was declared braindead were transported outside the state.“In the interest of the state, and with the various transplant rackets we have read and heard about, GMC will be the only recognized institute in Goa for organ transplant,” Rane told reporters. “No other hospital in the state of Goa will be given permission. All applications before me stand rejected,” he said.Vishwajit Rane said that if he doesn’t take an aggressive stance like this, “GMC wouldn’t progress”.He said GMC is the only recognized institute for organ transplant, and that the body should have been brought to the hospital. “Manipal’s application stands rejected,” Rane said. “They will never get permission as long as I’m health minister.”“The manner in which they got permission is itself under cloud, as the minutes were typed at Manipal Hospital,” he said. “That is not the way I function. I’m not a purchasable commodity. I’m here for the people of Goa and I will do what is in the interest of Goans.” He added that harvesting of organs can only be done in a recognised institute. “The health secretary had no power to unilaterally give permission to Manipal Hospital to undertake organ transplant,” Rane said.“How did he issue permission without a meeting of the appropriate committee? It is absolutely illegal. His role will be investigated by myself and the committee set up by the health department to investigate why GMC failed to receive kidneys that were harvested at Manipal hospital. No secretary or officer has the power to give any other hospital permission to do organ harvesting when they’re not recognised by the Government of Goa. What was done was not as per law.” Rane said after inaugurating the new burns unit at GMC.The minister said that according to The Transplantation of Human Organs Act, 1994, the patient should be shifted on a ventilator to a recognised institute for organ transplant. “Whatever happened has happened illegally. I’m waiting for the committee report to fix responsibility,” Rane said. “By one phone call no one can do organ transplant. This has to be looked at seriously.”Rane said he was not aware of the permission given by the health secretary. “I was not even told about it,” he said.“All files seeking permission to conduct organ transplants are in abeyance. I don’t want this to become the root of all scams.”“I feel safe when everything is done within the premises of GMC because I have faith in my doctors and have faith in the system,” he said.

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