Last updated on June 10th, 2024 at 02:21 pm
The Union government has issued an alert to all States and Union Territories regarding the illegal trading of human organs on websites and social media platforms, calling for stringent measures to combat these activities.
Alert on Illegal Organ Trading
The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has identified specific websites and social media groups offering large sums of money for kidneys and other organs, violating the Transplantation of Human Organ & Tissue Act (THOTA) 1994. In one notable instance, a post falsely attributed to a well-known Karnataka hospital offered ₹5 crore for a kidney matching certain criteria.
Legal Consequences
These illegal activities are punishable under section 18 of THOTA, with fines ranging from ₹20 lakh to ₹1 crore and imprisonment from 5 to 10 years. The Centre emphasized that such actions severely hinder the national organ transplantation programme.
State-Level Action Required
Health and Law & Order being State subjects, States have the authority to appoint appropriate authorities under THOTA to address commercial organ trafficking. The Directorate General of Health Services has urged Principal Health Secretaries to take immediate steps to prevent and control organ trafficking and establish monitoring systems.
Awareness and Education
To raise awareness about the illegalities of organ trading, various initiatives are being implemented. A new chapter on organ transplants will be included in the CBSE curriculum to educate school students about the issue.
Role of NOTTO
The National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO) operates under the Directorate General of Health Services to establish a network for organ procurement and distribution, and to maintain a national registry for organ donation and transplantation surveillance.
The government’s proactive steps aim to curb the illegal trade of human organs and ensure a regulated and ethical organ transplantation system in the country.