Medical College turmoil deepens as Nephrology head targets K-SOTTO organ donation scheme

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Even before the controversy triggered by the revelations of Dr. Haris Chirakkal, Head of Urology at the Medical College, had settled, the Head of Nephrology has come forward with fresh allegations, creating a new headache for the Health Department.

In a Facebook post, Dr. M.K. Mohandas, Head of Nephrology, alleged that no surgeries were taking place under Mrithasanjeevani, now known as Kerala State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (K-SOTTO), the state’s cadaver organ donation program.

The allegation was made in a condolence note written on the demise of Dr. Venugopal, former Head of Urology. The post also carried remarks against Dr. Noble Gracious, the Executive Director of K-SOTTO.

It was Dr. Venugopal, along with Dr. Ramdas Pisharody, former Head of Nephrology, who had made the K-SOTTO project popular. After Dr. Ramdas passed away in 2017, only a few rare surgeries have taken place, Mohandas pointed out. He also added that no cadaver organ transplant surgeries are being conducted even at Alappuzha Medical College, where the current Executive Director of K-SOTTO works. The post was later withdrawn after it sparked a controversy.

Recently, kidney transplant surgeries at the Medical College were carried out without the involvement of K-SOTTO. Dr. Mohandas alleged that government medical colleges are lagging behind in certifying brain death and that K-SOTTO has become a mere figurehead.

Surgeries “without corruption”
In another Facebook post on the first of this month, Dr. Mohandas noted that four kidney transplant surgeries were successfully completed within two weeks at Thiruvananthapuram Medical College without the help of K-SOTTO. He thanked everyone who made these “corruption-free” transplants possible.

Show-cause notice
Principal P.K. Jabbar issued a show-cause notice to Dr. Mohandas, stating that discussing internal matters in public amounted to a breach of discipline.

“K-SOTTO has no direct role in determining brain death. Its responsibilities include training and empanelling doctors, issuing licenses to hospitals, and overall coordination.”
— Dr. S.S. Noble Gracious, Executive Director, K-SOTTO