Home NewsFeatured Ugandan President Approves New Law to Combat Organ Trafficking

Ugandan President Approves New Law to Combat Organ Trafficking

by Uganda Times

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has given his approval to a new law aimed at tackling the issue of organ trafficking in the country. The Uganda Human Organ Donation and Transplant Bill 2023 seeks to protect individuals, particularly women, who have fallen victim to deceptive schemes resulting in the theft of their organs.

Reports from local media have highlighted cases where women were recruited for work in the Middle East but were instead subjected to unnecessary surgeries, with their fully functioning organs being stolen and sold on global trafficking networks.

The signing of the bill was praised by Health Minister Jane Aceng, who expressed her gratitude to President Museveni. Minister Aceng stated that the new law will provide crucial regulation in the field of organ donation and transplantation. She also expressed her hope that this development will mark the beginning of a new chapter for organ transplant practices in Uganda.

The Uganda Human Organ Donation and Transplant Bill 2023 is the first of its kind in the country and aims to prohibit any commercial activities involving human organs and tissues. The law imposes severe punishments, including life imprisonment and significant fines, for those involved in illegal organ trafficking.

Organ trafficking has been a concern in Uganda, with the Catholic Church and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime previously highlighting the prevalence of this illicit practice in the country.

Health Minister Aceng acknowledged the high demand for organ transplants in Uganda in September 2022. However, at that time, there was no specific legislation in place to address this issue. The approval of the new law is expected to provide a legal framework to effectively combat organ trafficking and protect the rights and well-being of individuals in need of organ transplants.

The implementation of this legislation comes in the wake of international condemnation faced by President Museveni’s recent enactment of stringent anti-LGBTQ laws, which have drawn widespread criticism. The approval of the organ donation and transplant law serves as a separate development aimed at addressing a pressing issue within the country.

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