THIS is with reference to the letter `Organ trade must come to an end` (Feb 25), which rightly emphasised the need to have strict laws and then to implement them in the right spirit to have any chance to move effectively against illegal organ transplantation. However, there is another side of the picture. I myself went through kidney transplantation back in 2023. I was lucky that my blood cells crossmatched those of my father.
I and my family did not face any difficultyin searchingfor a kidney donor.I met many others in the hospital who were facingchallengesidentifyingpotential donors. There were patients having less common blood groups or had rare complications that made their case unique.
Therefore, it was even more difficult for them to arrange a donor.
Donating kidney, or any organ, for that matter, to someone else is not easy. Some people who fulfil the medical requirements refuse to donate their organ because of fear of surgery and other elements involved in transplantation. The patients and their attendants suffer a lot while searchingfor donors.
Sometimes, even after rigorous search, no suitable donorisfound.The doctors are then left with no option except putting patients on dialysis until they either recover miraculously or eventually kick the bucket. I am writing to support the plea of such patients.
If the government is seriously interested in discouraging illegal organ trade, then thereis every reason to encourage and make legal organ transplant possible.
That is not the case right now. The government should establish a national transplant agency in this regard which shjould be responsible for facilitating the patientsin theirsearchfor a donor.
Other initiatives can follow in due course.Facilitating legal, ethical transplantion inthe country is the only logical way to discourage the prevailing illegal trade.
