Decade-long human transplant law succeeds in curbing illegal organ trade

KARACHI: Promulgation of ethical transplantation law in the country has succeeded in curbing the unlawful practices of organ trade, medical specialists have observed. The law which was promulgated in 2010 has completed its decade long journey in the outgoing year.

Before this all important law was passed some 1500 illegal unrelated donor transplants were taking in the country every year bringing a notoriety and tarnishing the image of the country as world's largest "Kidney Bazar" poor kiln workers and farm helpers were the main victim as they were duped into selling their kidneys for a paltry sum of Rs 100,000 where hospitals and unscrupulous doctors were making millions through foreigners paying up to 30,000 US dollars (around Rs 5 million).

According to medical experts the promulgation of law apart from curbing the illegal organ trade has also succeeded in activating the law enforcing agencies who are now more vigilant in apprehending and prosecuting the offending doctors and technical staff who were instrumental in practicing this unlawful activity.

The Transplantation Society of Pakistan and the Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (SIUT) were two important institutions who played a pivotal role in highlighting the plight of poor kidney donors by mobilizing the media and civil society at large.

The promulgation of ethical transplantation law which was bipartisan in parliament was accented by the then President Asif Ali Zardari in 2010 at a ceremony held at Presidency in Islamabad in 2010. This was followed by another ceremony held in Karachi which was attended by international medical personalities who had been active in checking the menace of illegal organ trade in many parts of the world. Prominent among them were representatives of the International Transplantation Society Prof Delmonico and Dr Noel of WHO.-PR

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020