Kerala govt permits prisoners to donate organs to close

The Kerala government today decided to permit prisoners in state jails to donate their organs to close relatives, but with certain conditions.
The decision was taken at the cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
"The prisoners can henceforth donate their organs to close relatives and the government has decided to make necessary amendments in the Kerala Prisons and Correctional Services (Management) Act 2014," a government press release read.
However, the prisoner needs to meet certain conditions for the process to take place. Like, the organ donation can be made by prisoners to their close relatives only.
Also, they have to take sanction from the concerned court, the same which convicted them, besides the medical board nod for any such organ donation.

"It was also resolved that the period the prisoner is hospitalised post donation, will be considered as parole and the hospital expenses will be met by the jail department,"the release added.

The release also made it clear of there being 'no relaxation in prison term' for the prisoner following the organ donation.
Notably, the government took the decision on hearing about the experience of P Sukumaran, a convict serving life sentence in Kannur central jail, who had sought permission to donate one of his kidneys.
However, before a decision could have been taken, the patient in question had passed away.