Organ Transplants in Malaysia Done According to Procedures: Minister

KUALA LUMPUR, June 12 (Bernama) -- Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai on Tuesday said that organ transplants in this country were done according to transparent set procedures and standards, and with close health monitoring. Besides that, he said, all government and private hospitals were required to obtain approval from a committee under the Health Ministry before carrying out any organ transplant. "I confirm that Malaysia is not a country that carries out illegal organ transplants, and allegations that it does have been refuted by the police," he told a news conference after the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the ministry and Novartis Malaysia Sdn Bhd, here. Federal CID director Mohd Bakri Zinin on Monday said police investigations showed no evidence that local hospitals had been involved in illegal organ harvesting and transplants. This followed claims that arose in September last year that some hospitals in Malaysia were involved in such illegal activities. Liow described the allegations as baseless and not true as Malaysia, he said, was highly committed to protecting standards and upholding ethics and professionalism in organ donations and tranplants. He said kidney transplants in Malaysia were done at Kuala Lumpur Hospital, Selayang Hospital, Universiti Malaya Medical Centre and a number of private hospitals in the Klang Valley. "If there is evidence that illegal organ harvesting and transplants occur at any hospital, we will definitely take action against those involved, and meanwhile we are closely monitoring for any such malpractices," he said. -- BERNAMA