Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji
Panaji, Dec 9: Goa will copy the model adopted by Mumbai-based KEM Hospital to set up State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (SOTTO), which will enable the State to have a registry of people requiring organ transplant, Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said on Sunday.
The High Court of Bombay at Goa, two days back, has directed the State and Central governments to set up SOTTO in Goa within six months. The Bench comprising Justice R M Borde and Justice P K Chavan also asked the authorities to make available necessary cross-matching facilities.
The Court directions came in response to a petition by NGO Mango Foundation seeking to direct the State and Central governments to notify Goa Medical College and Hospital as SOTTO with criteria-based transparent waiting lists for organs and linking it to the Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (ROTTO), Western Region and National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO).
Rane said that Goa government is in touch with a senior official in-charge of SOTTO at KEM Hospital in Mumbai, who is providing all the possible support for the State.
The minister said Goa will follow KEM model for implementation of SOTTO. Rane said that the financial implication to set up SOTTO would be handled partially by the Central government.
“ The Governing body, Executive body and model of SOTTO in Goa Medical College and Hospital would be replica of KEM. There is no question of forming a society like what Tamil Nadu has done. We will go with KEM model which is very simpler,” the minister told reporters at the sidelines of an event organised to commission private hospital near Panaji.
Responding to a question, Rane said that the State government had started the process of forming SOTTO “even before High Court directives.”
“Since we don’t want to make any mistakes, we have asked State Health Secretary to speak to specialist in KEM, who is looking after SOTTO for them. She will guide us to put things in place so that the registry can start immediately,” he commented.
Rane said that Goa wants to have its SOTTO in place at the earliest.
“SOTTO is required to maintain records and registry for Goa. We will recognize private hospitals under this program,” he said.
“We need to have our own registry so that the benefit of harvesting the organ will go to the people of Goa for that SOTTO has to be in place. GMCH will be the one having seventh SOTTO in the country,” the minister added.