Celebrate kidney donors, doctors, not victimise them — Surgeon

A Consultant Plastic Surgeon, Dr Torngee Malu, has urged the celebration of kidney donors and doctors who perform transplant procedures, rather than victimizing them. Speaking on Channels Television’s Morning Brief, Malu criticized the arrest of two doctors and other suspects by the Nigeria Police Force over allegations of an organ-harvesting syndicate in Nasarawa State.

He argued that the lack of a proper blood donation system in Nigeria highlights the need to encourage voluntary donations, rather than stigmatizing those who provide parts of their bodies for medical procedures. Malu emphasized that both donors and medical personnel involved in transplant procedures should be celebrated, describing them as heroes who bring new treatments to Nigeria.

He stressed that organ donation should be regulated within a proper framework, rather than allowing unsubstantiated social media claims to influence public perception of medical procedures. According to Malu, the law permits kidney donation under specific conditions, including adult consent and procedures carried out in standard hospitals by qualified medical personnel.

In the case of the alleged syndicate, Malu pointed out that the individuals involved were adults who had given informed consent and sworn affidavits, and the procedures were conducted in a standard hospital by qualified medical personnel. He criticized the excessive influence of social media in determining public opinion of medical practices and called for a thorough investigation before accusing medical practitioners.