Panaji (Goa) The Congress party today alleged a scam in allowing private hospitals to conduct organ transplant surgeries by the state government fearing that it can give rise to the deaths in the State.

State level committee headed by Goa Health Secretary Sudhir Mahajan today began process to allow a private facility – Manipal Hospital – to conduct organ transplants.

“The decision to allow private hospitals conduct organ transplant surgeries without following proper transparent procedures is a big scam. It can lead to unnecessary rise in the deaths in private hospitals to harvest the organs,” Congress legislative party spokesman Reginaldo Lourenco told reporters here.

He said that the scam needs to be investigated at highest level as why the state level committee in a hurry has decided to permit a private hospital conduct such surgeries which should be done only in government run facilities.

“This is a big scam, which is bigger than the mining scam which was unleashed in the State” Lourenco said.

The Congress leader said that he had raised the issue about high mortality in the private hospitals on the floor of the House. “The mortality rate will increase if you allow private hospitals conduct the organ transplant,” he said.

Another congress legislator Isidore Fernandes said that allowing private hospitals is a scam which is supported by State Health department. “There is no transparency in the process to allow the private hospital conduct organ transplant,” said Fernandes, who represents Canacona constituency.

When contacted, State Health minister Vishwajit Rane said that he has full faith in integrity of State health secretary and decisions taken by him as a head of the committee.

“If anybody has a doubt than I will speak to State Health Secretary and keep the minutes of the meeting in abeyance till matter is personally discussed with me,” Rane said.