Thiruvananthapuram: A Judicial First Class Magistrate Court on Tuesday directed officials to issue summons against eight doctors and VPS Lakeshore Hospital in Kochi concerning the organ donation of a youth who was declared brain dead following an accident in 2009.

The court has decided to allow a plea against the hospital and doctors based on a complaint filed by Kollam native Dr S Ganapathy alleging medical negligence led to the death of the patient. 

The incident related to the case happened on November 29, 2009. A youth, severely injured in a bike accident, was first admitted to a private hospital in Kothamangalam and later to Lakeshore Hospital. On December 1, the hospital authorities declared him brain dead. Later, the hospital transplanted his organs.

Suspecting foul play, the Kollam native filed a complaint alleging that the youth did not receive proper treatment and that his organs were transplanted by violating norms. 

Meanwhile, VPS Lakeshore Hospital authorities stated that they would fully cooperate with the investigation and court's order. They said that the hospital did not violate any norms.

It may be noted that there are elaborate legal and medical procedures for declaring someone brain dead, like the Transplantation of Human Organs Act (THOA), 1994. Cadaver organ transplants are done with consent of the immediate family of the deceased.