Organ trafficking has become a major problem with people
selling kidneys, liver, cornea, bone marrow, sperm, and ovum out of poverty.
Jahan-e-Sanat daily wrote Thursday that some middlemen send
the prospective donors to neighboring countries such as the United Arab
Emirates, Turkey, and Iraq to sell their body parts for $7,000 to $15,000.
This is the result of the country’s economic crisis, which
has left many people struggling to survive. In some cases, people have even
been forced to sell their organs to pay for medical bills or to support their
families.
The organ trafficking industry has been estimated to be
worth millions of dollars, with organs being sold to wealthy individuals. The
organs are usually obtained through coercion or deception, with some being
promised money and then never receiving it once the organ has been taken out.
Although Iranian law prohibits the sale or purchase of body
organs, the online market is booming, and no one is taking action.
“My blood type is O negative, and I am 22 years old. I will
sell my kidney for 5 billion rials (10,000 USD). Due to my financial issues, I
have no choice but to sell my kidney. If you want my liver, I will sell a part
of it for 2 billion rials (4,000 USD),” a young man told Jahan-e-Sanat.
According to government figures, more than 1,480 people
receive a kidney transplant from a living donor in Iran annually, which is
about 55 percent of the total of 2,700 transplants each year.