Quick money syndrome, corruption, others fuelling illegal organ harvesting, say experts
WITH recent reports of illegal organ harvesting in the country, many Nigerians are concerned about the ugly development and are exploring measures to prevent such activities in Nigerian hospitals, both private and public.
The Plateau State Police Command recently confirmed the arrest of a medical doctor, Noah Kekere, for alleged organ harvesting carried out in his hospital in Jos, the State capital. After investigation it was discovered that the suspect had harvested the kidneys of many people in the area, including other related cases.
Stakeholders in the health sector have argued that it is possible to stop further occurrences of illegal organ harvest in Nigeria if appropriate steps are taken. Deputy Director Clinical Nutritionist and Dietitian Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex ( OAUTHC), Ile Ife, Osun State, Dr. Ogbonna Obinna Chimela, said section 48 of the National Health Act has made it compulsory that the consent of the client must be sought before organ harvest. Chimela said if this law is enforced, it may be difficult and criminal for anyone to harvest patients' organs without his or her approval.
He called for enforcement of the provisions of the National Health Act and criminalising of unauthorised organ harvest, as was done against Nigeria's former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, in the United Kingdom.
On the responsibility of hospitals in preventing organ harvesting, Chimela said hospitals should employ healthcare professionals with impeccable character and put up a complaint box, where patients and clients can freely report any untoward or unprofessional atti
tude of any of the healthcare professionals for further investigation.
He said patients and their relatives should know their rights and file a suit against any private or public hospital that trample on them.
He said: “There is this medicolegal aspect of medicine that both healthcare professionals and the patients need to be exposed to. The healthcare professionals can sue the client/ their relatives if their rights are trampled upon in the line of duty, likewise the patients/ clients can sue the health institution/ the health personnel involved in the act."
He said health workers should try to get regular updates by attending workshops on patient/ client relationship and boundaries to know the rules and regulations to respect them and be guided with these principals, while carrying out their duties.
On the role of the government in stopping illegal organ harvesting, Chimela said the government must support doctors and other health professionals by providing an enabling environment with good incentives that encourage them to make Nigeria their place of practice, including health programmes such as National Health Insurance Authority ( NHIA), which is very important. He said out- of- Pocket expenditure is a huge deterrent to good health seeking behaviour among Nigerians. He said partnerships and collaboration with international organisations, non- governmental organisations, civil society, and Health Maintenance Organisation ( HMOS) is important to leverage expertise, resources, and support for anti- organ harvest campaigns in the public and private sectors.
He said the victims of organ harvesting are not covered by NHIA, therefore, if the government can enroll all Nigerians into NHIA, it would reduce illegal organ harvesting in the country.
He said the government should engage in policy formulation and implementation to develop and implement national policies and strategies that focus on addressing the incessant organ harvest. This, he said should include policies that make private sector NHIA complaint among other health insurance enrolment that should benefit all Nigerians.
He said: “Government should encourage public awareness and education, launch public awareness campaigns to educate the population about the dangers of engaging in organ harvesting and put preventive measures, among others. A Consultant Public Health Physician at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital ( LASUTH), Ikeja, Lagos, Dr. Adeleke Kayode, said government needs to empower security agencies, law enforcement agencies, Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria ( MDCN) with the support of Nigerian Medical Association ( NMA), to fight quackery, evaluate medical practice in Nigeria and reduce the illegal organ harvest.
He said: “I will advise all of us as Nigerians to join hands in handling and fighting organ harvest in the health sector. There should be intra and intersectoral collaborations to fish out bad eggs in the profession."