In recent years, Myanmar has been struggling with a shocking and illegal occurrence of the sales of kidneys by vulnerable villagers. This practice, which involves individuals selling their kidneys to meet financial needs, has emerged as a disturbing aspect of the country’s ongoing economic struggles and lack of healthcare infrastructure.
In a recent interview with BBC, two villagers from Myanmar have disclosed how this illegal trade is taking place through India.
The roots of the problem
Myanmar, also known as Burma, has faced decades of political instability, economic hardship, and underdevelopment. Rural areas are often neglected, leaving villagers without basic opportunities for advancement. For many, poverty is a daily reality, with little to no access to quality healthcare, education, or social services.
Unemployment rates have climbed in Myanmar since the coup – the war has ravaged the economy and sent foreign investors fleeing. In 2017, a quarter of the population were living in poverty – but by 2023, this had risen to half, according to the UN’s development agency, UNDP.
And after 2021, Civil War in Burma, the economy totally collapsed. People are struggling to feed their family. Using this vulnerability of the poor people, some people involve them in illegal trafficking of kidney in foreign countries.
How this Illegal trade happens
Buying or selling human organs is illegal in both Myanmar and India, but there are people called ‘Broker’ who find the buyers. Brokers are the people who arrange everything and find the buyers. The brokers then arrange physical test for them, they also forge the documents. Forged documents are used to create false familial relationships between donors and recipients.
The broker made it appear as if the villager was donating to someone he was related to by marriage or a distant relative. Then, the broker took them to meet the recipient. There they completed more paperwork and warned them that they would have to pay a substantial fee if they backed out. Then the villager received between $1,700 and $2,700 for his kidney, with brokers taking a cut.
According to the villager, they flew to northern India for the operation and it took place in a large hospital.
All transplants involving foreign nationals in India must be approved by a panel called an authorization committee, established either by the hospital or by local government. With the help of the forged documents, they easily get the approval of the panels in those hospitals.
One of the villagers also mentioned that he did not know that it is illegal to sell organ. If he knew, he would not do that. Another said that he had no regret, as he has to pay for their families. Both men faced financial desperation, leading them to make the risky decision to sell their kidneys.
Arrest in India
Organ transplants have increased by more than 50% worldwide since 2010, with about 150,000 carried out annually, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). But it says the supply of organs meets only about 10% of global need.
Trading in human body parts is illegal in nearly all countries and is hard to measure. In 2007, the WHO estimated that 5-10% of transplanted organs came from the black market, but the figure may be higher. Last July, Indian police said they had arrested seven people in connection with an alleged kidney racket, including an Indian doctor and her assistant.
Police have also arrested a bunch of Bangladeshi people for selling their kidneys, using forged documents.
Human Rights and Ethical Concerns
The sale of kidneys is a violation of human rights. The exploitation of impoverished individuals for their organs is an unethical practice that preys on vulnerability. It raises significant ethical concerns, particularly in terms of consent.
In many instances, villagers may not fully understand the risks involved, or they may be coerced into selling their kidneys because they have no other way to feed their families. The long-term consequences of kidney removal are often devastating. A person without a kidney faces a dramatically reduced quality of life, with risks of kidney failure, cardiovascular disease, and other complications that could leave them dependent on dialysis or result in early death.
Health officials in India and Myanmar are calling for better monitoring of organ transplants. The key to addressing this issue lies in raising awareness, strengthening legal frameworks, and providing economic opportunities for Myanmar’s rural population.
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Tiyasa is an enthusiastic journalist with a passion for uncovering the truth and stating them in a compelling story. Whether it's chasing a breaking news story or crafting a deeply researched feature, she believes in the power of words to inform, entertain, and inspire. Apart from writing, she has a passion for learning different languages. When not chasing the deadlines, you can find her engrossed in either books or drama or listening to music, maybe even brainstorming for her next article over a cup of coffee.
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