The union government had sanctioned Rs5 crore for this ROTTO centre and Rs80 lakh was the amount to be given in the first phase.
KEM hospital has received a letter from the central finance department that states that the money set aside to set up a Regional Organ and Tissue Transplantation Organisation (ROTTO) centre on its premises — Rs80 lakh — has lapsed.
The union government had sanctioned Rs5 crore for this ROTTO centre and Rs80 lakh was the amount to be given in the first phase.
Over the last eight months, the union health ministry appointed Maharashtra for having a ROTTO centre, at KEM hospital. The state was supposed to co-ordinate with six other states and streamline the cadaver donation process.
According to sources, in the last few months, the state government and KEM hospital have been following up with the union government, but the money was not released due to technical reasons.
State health department sources said the central government had given Rs50 lakh to the state's nursing department, which failed to submit a certificate showing utilisation of these funds to the union health ministry.
The state health department had been told that till the time it doesn't submit the utilisation certificate, the money sanctioned to set up the ROTTO centre would not be released.
Speaking to dna, urologist at KEM hospital Dr Sujata Patwardhan said, "We received a letter from the department which shows that the funds we were expecting from the central government lapsed."
What's the role of ROTTO?
The setting up of ROTTO is expected to help a number of poor patients in need of a transplant. They will be able to get some money from the government under a scheme. Also, through ROTTO, transplant co-ordinators can be provided in every hospital to help those in need.
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