Successful in listing five patients whose relatives are ready to swap kidney for a kidney, Suthar himself waits for the right match. “I was detected with kidney problems in 2001 and since then I am on dialysis,” Suthar said.

Suthar did not have much luck in going for a cadaver transplant in Ahmedabad. “We got a call for a cadaver transplant from Sterling hospital in Ahemdabad where we had registered his name. All the parameters were checked, but when we were about to board a flight to Ahemdabad, we were informed that it was transplanted to somebody else,” said Ranjan, Suresh’s wife.

Frustrated, now Ranjan has vouched to donate her kidney in return for a kidney for her husband.

The ministry has finished drafting changes in the Transplantation of Human Organs Act 1994. Under the new rules, swapping of vital organs between willing but incompatible donors will be made legal. And when this law is in place, people like Suresh will get respite.

The amendments that are being discussed come in the wake of a High Court order. In 2004, the Delhi High Court had ordered setting up of a committee to examine the provisions of Transplantation of Human Organs Act, 1994, and the Transplantation of Human Organs Rules, 1995. The committee submitted the report the following year and in May last year a national consultation was held and out of the many amendments proposed, one was to allow swap operations between the related donor and recipient who do not match themselves but match with other similar donors and recipients.

“We managed to get the consent of relatives of five patients, but did not get corresponding donors. And in this long wait, two patients succumbed to end-stage renal failure. But one got his kidney from a brain dead,” said Suthar.

Making it legal and bringing out a list of live donors who are ready to swap will help patients to some extent. Also, regularizing it will ensure transparency in transplantation, and hence, curb illegal kidney transplants,” added Suthar.

Even the medical fraternity is welcoming this move. “It’s important for people to come forward and get registered. In the whole ruckus about the illegal transplants, one forgets the dire circumstances of the patients due to the slow cadaver transplant activities in the country and no family donor forcing them to resort to illegal transplants like one in the recent past or going to neighbouring countries like Pakistan and Philippines,” said Dr Umesh Khanna, chairman Mumbai Kidney Foundation.

“If there is no commercialization, this move is a welcome move,” said Dr Vatsala Trivedi, coordinator Zonal Transplantation Co-ordination Committee.