Traffic in human Organs

Traffic in human Organs

          The report of clandestine kidney trade in Punjab on state level has again revived the controversy about the organized sale and purchase of human organs. The state government has seized about 2000 cases in private nursing homes in the main district in Punjab. But their files are missing from the private nursing homes. The rackets in trading human organs particularly kidneys have been flourishing in the country since 1977. Most of the donors come from outside the state. Most of them lose their lives for lack of post-operative care. The accused doctors defend their flourishing kidney trade. They consider it a helping hand for the patients who can pay for the transplantation of the kidneys. Known for their extraordinary skills it is not difficult for the surgeons to establish a roaring practice in the towns. It is a pity that doctors are completely unrepentant about the mercenary manner in which they procure kidneys for their clients. For this purpose they contact touts in Goa, Assam and Orissa for the supply of Kidneys. Almost all the donors are poor laborers or industrial workers. The cases have also come to notice when the kidneys of the patients admitted to the nursing home were clandestinely removed and transplanted without the knowledge of the donor. Many rich patients come from abroad for the transplantation of kidneys. Doctors of AIIMS say that price of each kidney varies from Rs. 40,000 to Rs. 1,00,000. Rare blood groups and other medical specifications add to the price. According to one estimate such an operation in U.K. costs approximately $22487 where as in India the same procedure costs only just $ 1325. India is a hunting ground for the Europeans and the Arabs. The government of India had enacted the Transplantation of Human Organs Act but it does not appear to have had any positive impact on this unethical practice by medical practitioners.