By Folasade Akpan
The Federal Government is in the final stages of developing guidelines for organ donation and transplantation in Nigeria.
Prof. Philip Abiodun, the Chairman, Guidelines on Organ Donation and Transplantation, developed by the National Tertiary Health Institutions Standards Committee (NTHISC), disclosed this at a stakeholders’ meeting on Wednesday in Abuja.
According to him, organ transplantation is a critical aspect of modern medicine that gives a second chance at life to patients suffering from end-stage organ failure.
He, however, said that the transplantation aspect of the practice of medicine was very important which gave birth to the need for regulatory guidelines.
“In Nigeria, the importance of establishing comprehensive guidelines for organ transplantation is underscored by various factors, including ethical concerns, legal frameworks, and the need for improved healthcare infrastructure.
“We are organising this meeting because it is a mandate from the National Health Act 2014 to be in charge of organ transplantation, to give guidelines and to see how transplantation is carried out in Nigeria.”
According to him, the establishment of robust guidelines for organ transplantation is vital for improving national health outcomes in Nigeria.
“Such guidelines will not only help regulate practices but also protect vulnerable populations from exploitation.
“When we address ethical concerns, strengthen legal frameworks, enhance healthcare infrastructure, and promote public awareness, we can create a more effective and humane organ transplantation system we can all be proud of.”
Abiodun also said that raising public awareness about organ donation was crucial for increasing participation rates and ensuring ethical practices.
He added that campaigns aimed at educating the public on the importance of organ donation, the risks associated with unethical practices, and the benefits of donation could foster a culture of voluntary giving.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Ms Daju Kachollom, said that in recent times, the nation had witnessed troubling incidents of alleged unwholesome practices involving organ harvesting.
Kachollom was represented by the Director, Hospital Services, Dr Jimoh Salaudeen.
“It may be difficult to ascertain when these incidents started in the country but the reality is here with us and it is imperative that we address these challenges head-on.
“The guidelines which is about to be finalised today aims to proffer solutions to problems that confront our health system today and those that may likely come up in the nearest future in the domain of organ donation and transplantation.”
Prof. Olugbenga Awobusuyi, Chairman in charge of the Committee on Kidney Transplantation, said that illegal organ trade was exploitative in nature and must not be condoned.
“You cannot just take an organ from a young boy of 16 or 18 years who does not know what he is doing, and then trick him to harvest his organ. That is exploiting that child.
“We don’t condone or accept that and we believe it’s not good because an organ is not a commodity or garbage and it is not something you can shoot back.”
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the guidelines draft encompasses critical areas such as ethics, kidney transplantation, liver transplantation, eye tissue transplantation and bone marrow transplantation.
There is also a chapter that addresses gamete and embryo donation, storage and surrogacy. (NAN)