December 7, 2023

Philippines health chief: I won’t lift ban on organ donation

Mumbai

Health secretary will review, not repeal or lift ban
ona

Fears of a kidney transplant market for rich foreigners in the Philippines have been doused — at least for the time being.  The new Department of Health chief, Dr. Enrique Ona,  has declared that he will not change or repeal it, but only review it. An administrative order issued by former Health Secretary Esperanza Cabral in June 2010 clamped down on organ trafficking. It prohibits foreigners from undergoing organ transplants in the Philippines and receiving organ donations from living non-related donors.

Ona says that he does not intend to change or repeal the AO, but he does want to review it. Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago has threatened to block his nomination as health chief over the issue. The Senator highlighted organ trafficking cases in the country and said that many poor Filipinos resort to selling their kidneys, unaware of the risks involved. ~ GMA News, Feb 4

Philippines health chief: I won’t lift ban on organ donation
Jared Yee
organ donation
organ trafficking

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