Voicing fears that Indian-American surgeon Jayant Patel may not get a fair trial in Australia, his friends have said they were afraid he doctor who faces manslaughter charges may be "lynched" if he is extradited from the US.

On hearing that Patel, 58, was being extradited by US authorities, Vijay Mehta said he "cringed because I was afraid f this moment and... I hope that my fear for him getting lynched in Australia somehow or other does not happen. I am just praying for him."

Mehta said he has contacted Amnesty International in the US to ask them to act as observers at the trial to ensure it is conducted properly, the ABC reported.

He said a group of Patel supporters will watch the case closely from the US.

Patel's friends have voiced fears that he may not get a fair trial in Australia as he has already been "demonised" by the media, which has dubbed him 'Dr Death'.

The Australian government has been seeking extradition of Patel to face 16 charges in connection with three deaths arising from botched surgeries and falsifying records during his two-year tenure at a rural public hospital in Queensland after he left Portland.

He faces life sentences if convicted on the charges, which also include allegations of grievous bodily harm, negligence and fraud.

Prior to moving to Australia, Patel worked in Portland, where he was disciplined by the Oregon State Board of Medical Examiners for "gross or repeated acts of negligence."

According to board records, Patel was also found to have engaged in "unprofessional or dishonorable conduct" in Portland from 1989 to 2001. According to a complaint filed in a US court, he removed a healthy gland in one patient, missing the cancerous mass. In another case, he accidentally tore a patient's oesophagus.