Minister requests private hospitals, SJH to Provide free treatment to organ donors

Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne yesterday requested the Managements of Private hospitals and the Sri Jayawardenepura Hospital (SJH) to offer free treatment to patients who donate parts for organ transplants, since some relief should be granted to such donor patients. He hoped to make it mandatory through a special directive in future.

Minister Dr. Senaratne said this participating in an organ donation day walk organised by the Sri Jayawardenepura Hospital last morning.

The walk which began from the precincts near the Sri Jayawardenepura Parliamentary Complex, ended at the Sri Jayawardenepura Hospital grounds, where a meeting followed.

At this meeting Minister Dr. Senaratne presented special awards to four persons who had donated organs.

In lighter vein, Dr. Senaratne said the government too was undergoing an organ transplant at the moment. But, safeguarding peoples organs was much more important.

Minister Senaratne said that when he assumed office as Health Minister, organ transplants had been disrupted.

“After I assumed office liver transplants were resumed followed by heart transplants. Organ transplants were now being done at the Anuradhapura, Kandy, Peradeniya and Sri Jayawardenepura hospital,” the Minister said.

“However, the second heart transplant failed due to a conflict among some specialists, transplant should be performed humanely without considering commercial, religions on other petty difference,” Minister Senaratne said.

He said kidney transplants on foreigners had been temporarily banned in this country due to a racket involving some Indian nationals. Regulations in this field in Singapore and the ban may be lifted if laws and regulations in this field followed in Singapore were applicable to Sri Lanka after a proper study.

Deputy Minister Faizal Cassim, Health Services Director General Dr.Anil Jasinghe and Sri Jayawardenepura Hospital Director Dr. Susith Senaratne were also present on the occasion.