Kidney Valley: The Red Market

Clutched finely within the dense mountains. The sun and the moon find a little way to penetrate the hamlet through thick dense matured woods. The least known to outside world, Rangyuel silently had nestled there for centuries. Co-existing along the Mother Nature, the people get what they want from nature. Except for few livestock and cereal crops, they are not fully an agrarian. Shamanistic practice in place, the ailment and ill-lucks are much in sought of village Shaman. One would take it as the age old culture at first sight when a tattoo like scars is seen below the belly of every village adults. Others would perceive it as a unique fashion to have a length of stitches beneath the stomach.

 It remains a mystery in children’s understanding of the tattoo in their parents’ belly. They never know who gifts their parents a huge sum of money. The mystery unsolved in the little brains of children remains as it is. The business came into wide practices not longer than a decade ago. People term it as Red Market to soften its terminological harshness. The organ trafficking prevails mostly in Middle East countries and South Asia. Targeting the vulnerable group of people in far-flung villages, the organ traffickers lure the farmers with handsome sum of amount. It fetches Nu.100, 000 to 200,000 in exchange of one kidney. Rangyuelians are gullible by the gang of traffickers saying that the organ will grow better upon amputation. Half of the adults in Rangyuel have traded their kidney innocently.

Despite the stringent laws in place on this illicit business, there are thousands of cases all over the world. The increase in cases of life style diseases like increased blood pressure, diabetes and heart problems have led to kidney damage. This is why the demand of kidney is in rise every day leading to organ trafficking like in Rangyuel. The traffickers are within the reach of Rangyuel in about few days journey. Every year about 10 farmers are involved in organ trade at the adjacent boarder areas through illegal surgery.

All of them are not innocent about it, but are forced to do so considering the economic o financial advantages of the business. Sama is 43 years old and has survived on single kidney for about 4 years now. She regretfully explains how difficult she faced after the organ trafficking and the health consequences she has to bear. The money she has earned out of the trade has vanished nowhere. She finds no standing proof to say that she earned out of her organ.

Organ trafficking is illegal in many countries all over the world, yet the rise in the illicit trade is the subject of concern for many of us. Such illegal business can potentially affect the society at large and result in large burden for government in the treatments of the patients with single organ. There are many ethical and health concerns surrounding the trafficking of human organs. In the majority of situations, those selling their organs represent members of vulnerable populations. It is feared that our people too will be victimized in the similar cases if not made aware of the laws and the health concerns owing to the free connections with boarder areas.

(Disclaimer: The story reflects no intended person or the community. It is the soul concern of the author after having read few articles about organ trafficking in other countries)