Decide on minor’s plea to donate liver to father, Bombay HC tells Maharashtra government

The father is suffering from liver cirrhosis and needs an urgent transplant

The Bombay High Court recently directed the Maharashtra government to expeditiously decide on a plea by a minor daughter to donate her liver to her ailing father.

A division Bench of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Madhav Jamdar was hearing a petition filed by a teenager through her mother seeking permission to donate her liver to her father who is bed ridden. The minor is 16 years, two months and 13 days old and her father has been diagnosed with liver cirrhosis. He has been suffering from ascites, abdomen distention and shortness of breath.

Counsel for the minor, Tapan Tatte mentions that appropriate authority had evaluated all the near relatives as potential-donors, however, except for the daughter, none have been found medically suitable. He states, the family is unable to find any other suitable donor.

On April 25, the daughter filed an application seeking approval of the Directorate of Medical Education and Research for transplanting her liver to her father. However, they have not received any response yet. The petition seeks direction under the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act to allow the daughter to donate a part of her liver to her ailing father.

On May 2, the court noted the father’s health is critical, and requested the authority to expeditiously decide the plea.