There is a village known as 'One Kidney Village,' where most residents have only one kidney. This is not related to any mysterious illness or disorder; completely healthy children are born in this village, and some people have two kidneys. However, due to the circumstances, eight out of ten adults have had their kidneys removed.
'One Kidney Village' is located in Afghanistan. Most men and women here have already sold their kidneys, and this is not due to illness. People are forced to sell their organs to feed their children.
According to Al Jazeera, such a village is called Saishamba Bazar and is located on the outskirts of the city of Herat in western Afghanistan. Many people who have been forced to relocate here after years of struggling to make a living live here. This village received the name 'One Kidney Village.' Reports suggest that every household here has already sold a kidney.
One family of five brothers sold kidneys one by one over the past four years in the hope of avoiding poverty. A former surgeon from a hospital in the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif noted that there are no laws regulating organ donation or sale, but donor consent is required.
Most transplants conducted in Herat take place in two hospitals. A surgeon working in one of them confirmed that the most important thing is the donor's consent. He added that they obtain written permission and make video recordings. Hundreds of operations have been performed in Herat over the past five years, but he stated that he has not checked where or how patients or donors arrive, as it is not his responsibility.
By December 2021, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimated that 55% of the Afghan population, about 23 million people, were facing severe hunger. The organization also predicted that 9 million of these people were at risk of starvation.
According to The Guardian, the problem of kidney trafficking in Afghanistan existed long before the Taliban took power. However, after seizing control, this trend has intensified not only in 'One Kidney Village' but in all regions of Afghanistan. That is, there is not just one such village in Afghanistan, but the number of people willing to voluntarily sell their organs has significantly increased.
Because of this, the price of a kidney has dropped: if up to 2023 a kidney could fetch between $3,000 and $4,000, now people are willing to sell it even for $1,500. According to public health officials in Herat province, approximately 250 official kidney transplants have been performed in hospitals in this province over the past five years. Very few cases are related to family donations. The cost of a kidney transplant is 400,000 Afghanis, plus the kidney itself is paid for separately.
However, the actual number of transplants may be much higher. A doctor working in hospitals where predominantly unofficial operations are conducted reported on condition of anonymity that the number of kidney sellers in Herat is growing, and most of them live in IDP camps or slums in Herat. Buyers also visit IDP camps looking for cheaper kidneys.