Illegal kidney trade flourishes in Chennai

DONATIONS FROM THE POOR: Govt sources say 1000's of transplants have been done illegally in the last five years.

ibnlive.com is on mobile now. Read news, watch videos
be a Citizen Journalist. Log on to m.ibnlive.com NOW!

Related Stories

Top Headlines

Top Videos

Most Popular

• Education reform will be for all Indians: Sibal 

• Federer wins record-breaking 15th Grand Slam title | Photogallery 

• Budget preview: Promises to keep | What to expect and what not 

• One-upmanship: Sonia, Pawar in foodgrain politics 

• 5 feared dead in Madhya Pradesh factory explosions 

• Policemen guard Maya's statue wealth across UP 

• Youth shot dead by cops had 26 injury marks | Watch 

• CPI-M leaders to act to curb Kerala infighting 

• Recruiter of child suicide bombers held in Afghan 

• Paes-Black lose Wimbledon mixed doubles final 

• Pranab has promises to keep in Budget of hope 

• Youth shot dead by cops had 26 injury marks 

• Kargil victory was certain: ex-army chief 

• Bollywood stars sizzle at the IIFA fiesta 

• IBNFocus: TDS process simplified 

• No minister contacted Madras HC judge: CJI 

• Scrap EVMs, let's go back to ballot, says Advani 

• CNN-IBN debate: Homosexuality vs Indian morality 

• Watch: Parties react to HC judgement on gays 

• Railways fail to provide basic facilities to passengers 

• Kambakkht Ishq is not vulgar or offensive: Akshay 

• Federer wins record-breaking 15th Grand Slam title 

• Umpire dies after being hit on head by ball 

• Budget preview: Promises to keep 

• Education reform will be for all Indians: Sibal 

• Who said what about record champion Federer 

• Chronology of Federer's record 15 Grand Slam titles 

• 5 feared dead in Madhya Pradesh factory explosions 

• Recruiter of child suicide bombers held in Afghan 

• Scenarios: What to look for in budget, and what not 

Photogallery

Find us on Facebook | Join IBNLive community

Stay ahead with G-Talk Buddy | Click now!

Chennai: Over 500 people from 10 villages around Vizhuppuram have have sold their kidneys in violation of the law, risking their lives for just Rs 25,000.

Many of them had gone to Chennai to work as labourers, but they were lured by the promise of quick money made by kidney brokers.

A kidney donor, Anbukannu says, "I am a widow with two daughters. I sold my kidney to marry one of them off. The other is unmarried. I have not been able to work since the operation. How will I marry my second daughter off? We don't even have food in the house."

But often the payoff comes with severe health problems.

Another kidney donor, Ramayee says, "Since the operation, I have not been able to use my leg. There are blood clots in my knees. I have terrible backaches if I don't take medicine. If I do take medicine, my stomach hurts. I can't work anymore."

Chennai, with good healthcare facilities, had become a popular destination for patients from across the country, but over the last 20 years, illegal trade of kidneys has flourished in the city.

In the last five years, the government committee that regulates donation of kidneys approved just 500 transplants, but sources in the government say thousands of transplants have been done illegally. And it's a netwrok hard to crack.

Editor Indian Journal of Medical Ethics, Dr George Thomas says, "There are touts everywhere — autorickshaw drivers in railway stations and airports — who target people coming from across the country and act as brokers for kidneys."

In 2007, tsunami victims in need of money fell prey to the kidney racket for paltry sums. The Tamil Nadu government had then suspended authorisation licences of 15 out of the 54 hospitals in Chennai allowed to carry out kidney transplants. Now all of them have been reinstated and the trade of kidneys continues as usual.