The Union Health Ministry of India has taken a crucial step to ensure that foreign nationals coming to India for organ transplants are fully aware of the country’s laws. They have written to the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Home Affairs, asking them to help spread this important information.
“India has emerged as one of the leading destinations for foreign nationals to get their organs transplanted owing to the world-class health facilities in the country and its highly skilled medical professionals…. In order to sensitise foreign nationals who visit India …. the ministry of health and family welfare has prepared scroll messages and creatives, with a proposition of wide dissemination,” the letters written last month to the home and foreign secretaries state.
These letters ask the home secretary to show these messages on the websites and portals of the Bureau of Immigration. They also ask the foreign secretary to display the messages in noticeable places at airports and on the websites of the Ministry of External Affairs and Indian Embassies and Missions abroad.
This action comes after two incidents where the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act was violated. In Rajasthan, fake No Objection Certificates (NoCs) were given to Bangladeshi nationals. In Delhi, poor Myanmar nationals were allegedly paid to donate kidneys.
Officials familiar with the issue said, “We realised that foreign nationals were coming to India…And, many were not informed about the laws in India. It is important to widely disseminate the information so that everyone is aware…”
The official added, “… we want to ensure that these transplants are legal.”
The information scroll prepared by the ministry highlights several key points:
– Those seeking an organ transplant in India should come on a medical visa.
– All donors must be over 18 years old.
– Indian living donors cannot give organs to foreigners unless they are close relatives.
– Foreign patients can register to receive organs from a deceased donor, but they will only be considered if there is no Indian patient available to receive the organ.
The scroll also clearly states, “Commercial dealing in human organs or tissues is prohibited and is a punishable offence in India.”
By spreading this information widely, India aims to ensure that all organ transplants conducted in the country are legal and in line with its laws.