Lamanda(Michelle) Reid/Feb.6, 2008/11:35 a.m./poverty and injustice
This week in the International Herald Tribune I discovered an article in reference to both injustice and poverty. Poor donors duped by organ-transplant racket in India was written by Amelia Gentleman and published on January 29, 2008. A well-organized kidney transplant scheme was uncovered recently in India. Approximately 500 kidneys have been stolen over the past nine years. Naseem Mohammed was one of the last Indians to be forced into donating his kidney. Mohammed like many of the other donors was a day laborer who was picked up with the offer of work. Instead he was taken to a private clinic and held at gunpoint. He had two options donate his kidney or be killed. This ring was lead by four doctors, who forced the poor to donate their kidneys to the rich of India and other wealthy foreigners. Other participants were bicycle rickshaw drivers and farmers who were willing to sell their kidneys.
This is a key example of how injustice and poverty tie together. The doctors prayed on the poor and those experiencing great poverty in India. This was a horrible injustice to the poor. The doctors took advantage of their financial states to help the rich. I personally believe this scheme was horrible. I really don’t sympathize for the people who willingly sold their kidneys; I only sympathize with those who were forced to sell their kidney. This whole scheme was very unethical. I just don’t understand who could possibly participate in this great injustice against the poor. I also do not understand who this scheme could go on for so many years.
3 comments:
This story is crazy! Now I'm not naive to think this doesn't happen everywhere but it still shocks me just the same. I don't believe in selling your organs on the black market while you still living, but I believe in being an organ donor when you die. My heart goes out to all the people who are forced to give up their kidneys in fear of death or starvation. What's even scarier is that doctors are playing a role in forced organ donating.
I heard about this story on NPR the other night, and what really scared me about it is how methodical the doctors and organ thieves about who they pick for kidneys, how they lure them, how they put them under and how they drop them off afterward.
Also, a man gave a personal interview on the show and expressed the amount of physical pain he went through, and it really makes you wonder how many individuals have died because of this illegal activity.
No one should be forced to give up their organs, this is just crazy. I should have the opportunity to offer if thats what you want to do
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