The Federal Government has announced that all health facilities involved in organ transplantation in Nigeria must be registered and licensed before operating.

Additionally, such facilities are required to establish independent, facility-based Organ Transplantation Committees separate from their medical transplantation teams.

The government also revealed that plans for a nationwide inspection of organ transplant facilities, aimed at accreditation and licensing by the National Tertiary Health Institutions Standards Committee (NTHISC), are at an advanced stage.

Furthermore, efforts are underway to establish a National Organ Transplantation Registry.

These developments were disclosed on Thursday in Abuja during the unveiling of the Standards and Guidelines for the Establishment and Coordination of Organ/Tissue Transplantation Services in Nigeria.

The document, developed by the Professor Fatiu Abiola Arogundade-led Organ Transplantation Guidelines Panel under the National Tertiary Health Institutions Standards Committee (NTHISC), covers essential areas such as kidney, liver, eye tissue, hematopoietic stem cell (bone marrow), gamete and embryo donation, storage, and surrogacy.

The Standards and Guidelines document established ethical standards for organ donation and transplantation, set out donor protection mechanisms, ensure informed consent, and outline clear processes for organ allocation.

While launching the document, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Adekunle Salako, emphasized that the new framework Is crucial given the sensitivity of organ transplantation and the rising cases of unethical practices, emphasizing, ?These guidelines provide a much-needed regulatory framework for organ transplantation.

?They aim to restore trust in organ donation in Nigeria by promoting transparency, accountability, and adherence to international best practices?.

Represented by the Director of Hospital Services, Jimoh Salaudeen, the Minister highlighted the urgent need for the guidelines, citing cases of young Nigerians from poor backgrounds who have been victims of organ trafficking.

?These guidelines aim to restore trust in organ relations in Nigeria by promoting transparency, accountability, and adherence to international-based practices.

?This document is particularly important given Nigeria?s unique challenges.In recent times, we witnessed troubling incidents of unethical organ harvesting and other excesses within the organ transplantation workspace.

?This sad narrative usually speaks about young Nigerian victims from poor backgrounds who were targeted by criminal cartels, lure them with money, or forced promises of a better life.

?These cases underscore the urgent need for stringent regulations to protect organ donors and recipients alike. With these guidelines in place, we expect significant progress in the sector.

?We establish a clear ethical framework for organ donation, enhance public awareness about its importance, and ensure transparency across all institutions involved in this life-saving procedure?.

Immediately following the launch, Salako, who was represented by the Director of Hospital Services, Jimoh Salaudeen declared that critical next steps outlined in the guidelines to transform the vision of the document into practice would kick off immediately.

?Authorities will begin by mapping and registering all healthcare institutions involved in organ donation and transplantation, ensuring that only certified facilities with adequate capacity are authorized to perform these procedures.

?Effective monitoring mechanisms will be implemented to evaluate adherence to the guidelines, additionally, we will establish an organ donation and transplantation registry and banking system to streamline the management of organ donations across Nigeria.

?As Nigeria?s legislative landscape regarding ethical organ harvesting is evolving, we recognize the need to further strengthen our current laws, stipulating penalties to invalidate detailed violations of the provision of this guideline and that of National Health Act 2014.

?In other words, the effort to sanitize organ transplantation processes in Nigeria is a work in progress, and our government will ensure that nothing stops it,? he affirmed.

The Ministry?s Permanent Secretary, Daju Kachallom, who was represented by Tetshoma Dafeta, the Human Resources Director, described the initiative as a ?lifeline and a game changer? for Nigeria?s healthcare sector, saying, ?The demand for organ transplantation is rising, yet ethical concerns persist.

?Without proper regulation, vulnerable lives remain at risk. These guidelines ensure that organ donation and transplantation in Nigeria are safe, ethical, and transparent?.

Stressing the importance of addressing challenges such as public awareness, infrastructure deficits, and regulatory enforcement, Kachallom said, ?To make these guidelines truly impactful, we must mobilize health professionals, policymakers, civil society, and the public to create a culture where organ donation is understood, embraced, and ethically managed?.

The chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Human Rights, Hon. Abiola Makinde, assured that lawmakers would support necessary amendments to the National Health Act to strengthen regulatory oversight, penalties, and the overall scope of the legislation.

Prof. Phillip Abiodun, Chairman of the NTHISC, warned that non-compliance with the guidelines would not be tolerated, saying, ?For too long, organ transplantation in Nigeria has been plagued by irregularities, exploitation, and a lack of robust regulatory frameworks.

?This document establishes a culture of accountability within the healthcare system?.

Abiodun emphasized that the guidelines go beyond procedural regulations as they also serve to rebuild public trust in the system.

?By mandating facility mapping, certification, and strict compliance monitoring, we aim to eliminate irregularities and ensure that every transplant is carried out under controlled and ethical conditions,? he said. (The Nation)

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