‘Kidneys are not for sale’

A Namibian health specialist has warned that more people are considering selling their kidneys for cash, an illegal and unethical practice emerging amid a persistent shortage of willing family donors.

Kim Crymble, manager of the kidney transplant unit at Ongwediva Medipark and a transplant nursing consultant, said kidney transplants could only take place when a willing donor was available.

“You cannot trade human organs. You can’t buy a kidney. You can’t sell a kidney. It’s illegal, immoral and unethical,” Crymble told Namibian Sun.

She said a worrying trend had emerged, with people approaching the hospital to ask how much they could earn from selling their kidneys.

“Donation is a humanitarian gift of life to someone else. It does not come with a price tag. This is about doing good for another person and changing the landscape for someone’s future. You don't give a gift and expect a gift back. You choose to gift someone.”

Dispelling myths, fears

Her comments were made as Namibia commemorates Kidney Awareness Week from 1 to 7 September.

Crymble said Namibia continues to face a significant burden of kidney disease, with dialysis units filling up rapidly following their expansion in the public health sector.

However, a major challenge is the reluctance of family members to donate a kidney to their loved ones.

Crymble attributed some of this reluctance to myths and fears surrounding living kidney donation.

“Namibians have an extensive extended family setup, but when trouble strikes, there is no one to help,” she said.

Crymble said transplant programmes in more developed settings have demonstrated that people can live healthy lives with one functioning kidney, while strict medical assessments are conducted to ensure that potential donors are suitable.

Increasing pressure

She added that the rollout of more dialysis units has increased access to treatment for Namibians, but the demand has been high.

“They have filled up very quickly,” Crymble said, adding that more patients could benefit from transplantation if they were referred for assessment.

She said while kidney disease has no cure, treatment options are available, with dialysis serving as a bridge while patients await or pursue transplantation.

“Dialysis is a bridge. Your quality of life is so much better with a transplant than with dialysis,” Crymble said.

She stressed that the living donor is carefully protected throughout the transplant process.

“One needs to understand that when you go through a process of donating, the person protected the most in the transplant is the living donor. They are the most precious life,” she said.

“You don’t donate a kidney and disappear. The clinic door stays open, and we follow up to see how they are doing.”

She also dismissed concerns that donating a kidney would lead to complications.

Crymble said greater awareness of kidney disease is urgently needed because many of the conditions that damage the kidneys can remain silent for years.