Rapport de stage

 “All over the world thousands of people, suffering from organ failure, die each year while waiting for a donated organ” (Sindh Institute). Surprising or even shocking is this number, a number that remains an estimation and approximate representation of the reality. Being most of the times away from what it is really happening; people tend to underestimate the number of death caused by the shortage of organs all over the world. Consequently, several are the ones who leave this world or do not have the opportunity to lead a better quality life. Poverty, economic crisis and undeveloped medical infrastructures are just some other elements from a long list that worsen the situation. All these elements taken into consideration, it must be said that organs’ donations should be totally ensured in the four cardinal points of the globe. This said, opposite points of view should be taken into account when talking about this.  There are some people who think that every country should be able to answer to its own shortage and is responsible to do so. However, there is an opposing party claiming that countries’ conditions are not the same and that a humane worldwide coordination between them should be the driving motive for a better world for all races. In the following paper, there will be first reference to some religious principles and rules that may represent potential obstacles and prohibit some people from donating or having access to donated organs. Then there will be an overall analysis of the critical actual situation of medical infrastructures and conditions in some underdeveloped and developing countries before finally dealing with few cultural beliefs that may disturb the normal flow of organs’ donation and transplantation processes.

The human body is full of vital organs and if there is any problem with one of them the whole body is affected. Kidneys, hearts, eyes, livers are just some organs from a long list. Any shortage in them is synonymous with a shortage in lives. Indeed, as the author Satel said: “because of the global organ shortage, thousands of patients die unnecessarily each year for want of a kidney” (“Why We Need a Market for Human Organs” 311). This was just a simple instance to exemplify the current critical situation. By looking at this situation, access to organs donated is not equitable. Some countries have more access than others to them which is penalizing some citizens. On the same scope, two points of view exist. Controversies exist about whether there should be cooperation between countries or each of them should rely on itself when it comes to answer to the organs’ shortage. It is true that every country has some preferences of methods or incentives given to its citizens to donate depending on many elements. Both American and Spanish governments provide financial or payment incentives while the Swiss one relies more on sensitizing campaigns to increase awareness among people. To exemplify this, there is the campaign that was organized in 2011 by the Federal Health Office having as a main aim to strengthen the willingness of citizens to own a donor card. (Wurz 1).  Nevertheless, saving lives or making life conditions better should be done regardless of the citizenship of the belonging to a certain country since it is a humane cause. According to Arthur Caplan, “given the gap between supply and demand, those in need will do whatever they can to obtain organs and tissues for themselves” (308). Indeed, all means can be justified when it comes to lives’ saving. Regardless of the differences between countries and their methods, a global cooperation should be implemented to insure a global access to organs.

In today’s communities, there are some principles ruling the way people live. Cultural, religious, social or political principles are just some elements from a long list. It is also important to consider the significant number of issues that may exist because of faith and ethnicity and how it may prevent or impede organ donation (Simpson). To begin with, religion is a significant part of many people lives. By being Buddhist, Muslim, Christian, Jewish or believing in any other religion, a person’s life is ruled by some principles that are supposed to be respected as to answer to god’s or any supreme being’s will. This said these rules are governing every single domain in one’s life, even the medicinal one.  Being able to donate or to get a transplant is not an easy task for some people adhering to some religions.

In some religions, people should meet some conditions before being able to donate their organs. These conditions are most of the times numerous and are said to be mandatory to be met without any exceptions. In addition to that, no clear reference is made to this subject within the holy books which leaves the floor to a certain level of ambiguity. To exemplify this, there is the Jewish religion that requires its people to get the approval of some of their highly ranked and qualified rabbis as to be able to donate. These religious figures are the only ones having the authority to select people that are qualified to donate or not. When it comes to lives’ saving, time is a golden element and following such long lasting procedures does not help on the opposite it makes the situation even worse. Another important element that should light be shed on is the absence of rules on the Jewish Torah or any other reliable holy book (Mehzabeen). Consequently and as the author Satel said in his article, “Israel has one of the lowest rates of donation in the world, so the government pays for transplant surgery performed outside the country” (Satel 9). The only logical explanation to justify such low rates of donations is the presence of the complicated process of getting the rabbis’ permission to be a good candidate for donations. Besides that, when is such countries there is a reluctance to donate because of religious issues governments are obliged to incur high costs to get transplants from other countries for their citizens. By doing so, they spend tremendous amounts of money that they could invest in social and cultural projects within their countries for the well-being for the citizens. Combating poverty, illiteracy or cancer or any other kind of scourges that may gnaw a community at any given time can be dealt with the big financial investments in transplants. If we reverse the image, even a partial answer to the shortage of organs donations would avoid the government high extra costs and provide it with more opportunities to serve its citizens.

One of the main other religions that exist presents a similar situation when it comes to donations. “In Islam, violating the human body is normally forbidden, but it is permitted to save another person’s life. According to the Holy Quran: “whosever saves the life of one person it would be as if saved the life of all mankind” (Chapter 5 vs. 32)” (Quran qtd Mehzabeen). Indeed, In addition, according to another trustworthy Islamic source which is “Shariah”, “Organ Donation is permitted in Islam if it is done within the permissible limits prescribed by the Shariah” (Mehzabeen). When talking about these limits, there is an obvious consequence leading to the restricted numbers of possible donations for these people which is critical for the community they belong to or live in. Knowing that donations can be made from deceased bodies or living humans, there is still some controversies about whether it is allowed to get transplants from deceased bodies in Islam. This concept is referred to as brain death which is seen as an illegal death by some Muslim imams (Shaheen). Moreover, in Malaysia as an example of a Muslim country, deceased people are required to guarantee at a time prior to their death that their organs can be donated for the transplantation to be done at their death (KT).This is another kind of obstacles Muslim countries may encounter. This said, all these previously cited issues represent a big and heavy weight to consider while dealing with the organs donations at the global level.

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