I liked the idea of Mulago Referral Hospital initiating the plan of carrying out kidney transplants starting September, it reduces the high costs that would have been incurred.
However, I am a bit afraid. In Mulago’s revelation about kidney transplants, they didn’t reveal where the kidneys for the transplants will come from? This is the question that desperately needs to be answered. I am aware that for a transplant operation to be successful there must be a donor.
And in a case of kidney transplant; the donor can easily be got from one’s kin as long as the organ is compatible and they are willing to donate. But what about in instances where your kin’s kidneys are not compatible to your body, where will other donors come from? Will it be Mulago to provide the kidneys or shall we resort to international markets. I believe this is information that the public needs to know given that we are all prone to kidney failures.
Secondly, already there is news of human traffickers targeting refugees for body organs in Uganda. It happens there is a huge demand worldwide for transplant organs including the heart, kidneys, liver etc. They have already established human markets for the sale of body organs. With the establishment of such transplants in Uganda, won’t it trigger more trade operations for body parts?
Will Ugandans be safe with such a trade? Won’t this increase human abductions for the provision of body organs for transplants? These questions need to be answered before Mulago hospital embarks on this venture.
