Calcutta High Court Intervenes to Save Lives of Two Renal-Failure Patients
In a significant ruling, the Calcutta High Court has stepped in to grant life-saving opportunities to two women suffering from renal failure, overturning the state health department's authorization committee's decision to block their kidney transplants. The court's order, issued on March 6, came after the committee had rejected the transplants based on what the court deemed "flimsy" suspicions, despite clear verification reports from police and sub-divisional officers.
Court Orders Swift Authorization for Transplants
Justice Krishna Rao directed the authorization committee to grant permission for the transplants within 24 hours and issued specific instructions to the respective hospitals where the surgeries are scheduled. The procedure for the first patient, a woman from Madhya Pradesh currently residing in Lake Gardens, Kolkata, is likely to be conducted this week. The transplant for the second patient, a woman from Narendrapur, is expected to take place next week.
Both patients were on the provisional list for organ transplants and had submitted all necessary documents seeking approval for living unrelated donors. However, their applications were rejected by the committee, which cited general suspicion, disregarding reports from police and SDOs that found no evidence of wrongdoing or financial impropriety.
Case Details: Narendrapur Mother of Three
The Narendrapur patient, a mother of three minor children, was diagnosed with kidney failure on November 4, 2021, and has been on dialysis since. Belle Vue Clinic advised a kidney transplant on May 30, 2025. Unable to find a related donor, the family turned to an unrelated donor—a family friend who volunteered to donate a kidney out of "affection and not for any other consideration."
Belle Vue Clinic forwarded the donor's details to the authorization committee along with a verification report from the SDO of Barrackpore sub-division, which confirmed there were no unofficial financial dealings. Despite this, the committee refused the request, claiming in writing that an invoice from 2019 appeared to be "freshly prepared, manipulated, and fabricated." This prompted the family to approach the high court.
Court's Strong Rebuke of Committee's Decision
The Calcutta High Court expressed strong disapproval of the committee's actions. In its ruling, the court stated, "This court fails to appreciate that once the donor has given an affidavit... stating the fact that he is a well-wisher of the patient and intends to donate his organ only to save the life of the patient, and during the police verification no financial transaction was found, the authorities have refused the request in a flimsy manner."
Case Details: Madhya Pradesh Woman in Kolkata
Similar directions were issued for the woman from Madhya Pradesh, whose transplant had also been stalled on similar grounds by the committee, though without providing a written explanation. She was diagnosed with kidney failure on February 5, 2024, and was advised a transplant by ILS Hospital. After failing to find a relative donor, a friend of her husband—a Kolkata resident with an O-positive blood group—volunteered to donate a kidney on "humanitarian grounds." Medical tests confirmed the donor was a suitable match for the transplant.
This ruling highlights the critical role of judicial oversight in healthcare decisions, ensuring that bureaucratic hurdles do not compromise patient care and access to life-saving treatments. The court's intervention underscores the importance of thorough verification processes while preventing unnecessary delays that could endanger lives.
