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Iraqi families sell organs to overcome poverty
By Ahmed Maher
BBC Arabic, Baghdad
20 April 2016
VIDEO
Om Hussein said the thought of selling her kidney was better than living on charity
Their dilapidated house collapsed a few months ago, and they have survived thanks to the help of friends and relatives.
Her husband added: "I worked at everything you could think of. As a butcher, a day labourer, a rubbish collector. I would not ask for money, but they would give it to us. I would not ask for food.
"I would tell my son to collect waste bread from the street and we would eat it, but I never asked for food or money."
Facing such poverty, Ms Hussein was driven to make a huge sacrifice.
"I decided to sell my kidney," she said. "I could no longer provide for my family. It was better than selling my body or living on charity."
Her husband added: "I worked at everything you could think of. As a butcher, a day labourer, a rubbish collector. I would not ask for money, but they would give it to us. I would not ask for food.
"I would tell my son to collect waste bread from the street and we would eat it, but I never asked for food or money."
Facing such poverty, Ms Hussein was driven to make a huge sacrifice.
"I decided to sell my kidney," she said. "I could no longer provide for my family. It was better than selling my body or living on charity."
The organ trade
Grinding poverty has made the trafficking of kidneys and other organs a phenomenon in Baghdad.
Grinding poverty has made the trafficking of kidneys and other organs a phenomenon in Baghdad.
Gangs, offering up to $10,000 (£7,000) for a kidney, have increasingly targeted the country's poor, making it a new hub for the organ trade across the Middle East.
Full article: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-36083800
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Iraqi families sell organs to overcome poverty (Original Post)
polly7
Apr 2016
OP
Baobab
(4,667 posts)1. This is horrible
How could politicians have decided that this war was good?
bbgrunt
(5,281 posts)2. well at least they have the "freedom" to make that choice now. (sarcasm)
Worshipping unfettered capitalism may soon give us that same kind of freedom--if not already occurring.
KT2000
(20,544 posts)3. it may be illegal in Iraq
but in India it is not. Loan sharks will insist on kidney donation if debts are not paid. People are forced into this by poverty.There is a black market for organs in many countries and it is wealthy countries who are the recipients. Our own free-marketers want the sale of organs to be legalized.
Judi Lynn
(160,218 posts)4. It's hell brought to daily life. People are helpless against slimy politicians, it appears. n/t