Heart, liver transplants halted at Istanbul's Cerrahpaşa hospital

ISTANBUL

AFP Photo

The Ministry of Health cancelled the license for liver and heart transplants at one of Istanbul's biggest hospitals after a number of professors left the hospital following a recent change in the law, private broadcaster NTV has reported.

The latest requirement, calling for at least three transplants to take place in each unit, has forced the liver and heart transplant units in Cerrahpaşa to close down due to lack of operations.

The number of transplants decreased substantially after the law on the working hours of doctors changed. No operations have been conducted in either the liver or heart units for over nine months.

The Ministry said the license may be reactivated if the units can give assurance as to the number of future operations.