OBASANJO CALLS FOR LEGISLATION ON ORGAN HARVESTING
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has urged the National Assembly to promptly provide legislative assistance by introducing a new bill to aid individuals with kidney ailments and establish regulations concerning the rising problems of organ harvesting and trafficking in Nigeria.
Speaking at the 36th Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Scientific Conference of the National Association of Nephrology, themed “Optimizing Dialysis Therapy To Prolong Survival,” at the main auditorium of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
Obasanjo identified four key areas to tackle the challenges associated with managing kidney diseases, emphasizing that multiple strategies could be concurrently implemented.
He remarked, “According to available reports, approximately 15 percent of adult Nigerians, or one out of seven, suffer from irreversible kidney failure, which can be life-threatening if not addressed. The prevalence of kidney failure in Africa is reported to be higher than anywhere else globally, with an average African being four times more susceptible to kidney problems than individuals of Caucasian or Mediterranean descent.”
Obasanjo pointed out that the prevalence of kidney failure in Africa surpasses global rates, making Africans four times more susceptible to kidney problems than individuals of Caucasian or Mediterranean descent. The former president identified causes such as hypertension, diabetes, kidney infections, genetics, use of undefined herbal medications, and analgesic abuse.
Emphasizing the importance of prevention and healthy lifestyles, Obasanjo stressed the need for intervention through machine treatment (dialysis) or transplantation in severe cases. He called for investments in local production of dialysis consumables to reduce costs, support for dialysis and transplantation services for children, and examination of laws related to organ trafficking, considering cultural and societal nuances.
In conclusion, Obasanjo emphasized the urgency of legislative support through a new bill to aid affected individuals and address the emerging challenge of organ trafficking, urging relevant agencies to review laws related to cadaveric donations while considering cultural and societal peculiarities.
Peter Moses, Abeokuta; From the News source: DailyTrust
