The second Thursday in March annually is celebrated as the World Kidney Day, a joint initiative of International Society of Nephrology and International Federation of Kidney Foundation. But today on World Kidney Day we will tell you a dark tale about the illegal trafficking and transplant of kidney throughout the world with special emphasis on India.
Everyone in ten organ transplants is illegal in the world. Out of the 2 lakh people, only 3% of the demand is met, leading to a higher stake of illegal trafficking. Most of the kidney sellers in India and other developing countries are women living in a slum. They do it to pay off their debts.
Kidneys make up 75 per cent of global illegal trade in organs. According to a report by the World Health Organization, 10,000 kidneys are unlawfully sold every year, more than one an hour and India amounts more than 2000 of those illegally sold kidneys. The shocking fact though is the average rate at which the kidneys are sold is as low as $1,070. But the transplant profit middlemen and doctors make are huge.
Doctors believe the traffickers are cashing on international demands which are driven by an increase in diabetes and other diseases and also the waiting time for a kidney transplant in countries like the United States is more than 4.5 years. Foreigners from the Middle East, Asia, and Europe pay up to $100,000 to $200,000 for a transplant.
According to reports, illegal trade of kidney was falling back in the year 2006-7 due to proper law enforcement and law, but trends may be on a high again due to instances of severe corruption in the system.
According to the Indian law, only people related to the person in need are allowed to donate. This can act as a major loophole for a country like India as the supply-demand gap for donors surfaces the way for illegal transplant.
Over the years many NGOs and state police while trying to locate missing children, have found dead bodies of children without their vital organs. Many cases are just closed as the police state that wild animals must have eaten the child's organ.
We have gathered information on some of the biggest case of large scale organ trading:
1. In 2008, Amit Kumar, a man who posed as a doctor removed kidney of people from different states and transplants them to high paying customers in Gurgaon. Amit is believed to have illegally transplanted more than 600 kidneys. The case is infamously called the 'Gurgaon Kidney Scandal'.
2. In 2010, South African hospital St. Augustine's, conducted 109 illegal kidney operations performed on Israelis, Romanian and Brazilian citizens. They were pleaded guilty.
3. In 2014, Mexican Cartel was arrested for kidnapping and murdering minors. Children were found wrapped in blankets and stuffed in a refrigerator with their kidneys missing.
4. Delhi's Apollo Hospital case, in 2013 Apollo Hospital staff tempted in by offering to buy kidneys for Rs. 3 lakh. The kidneys were then sold at the huge profit to buyers.
Dr Ashok Sarin, the most renowned nephrologist of Delhi told Business World magazine that the only step to prevent kidney trafficking in India is through 'Cadaveric Transplant'. In this transplant method, the kidney is transplanted from a deceased and unrelated donor to the one in need. Dr Sarin criticised the government for not implementing this technique in India as it has the potential to save lives and stop organ trafficking. Dr Sarin stated he practised this technique way back in 1977, but the technique is still not implemented in India.
The only way to stop this ill happening is by pledging to donate your organs. Out of 450 brain dead people, only 11 became potential organ donors. If the idea of donating is accepted by even a very small amount of population, we can surely put an end to this glorified inhumane business.
