Herat: Afghanistan’s worsening economic and humanitarian crisis following the Taliban’s return to power has reportedly pushed ordinary citizens to sell their organs in order to survive. A settlement on the outskirts of Herat has drawn international attention after numerous residents allegedly sold kidneys to escape extreme poverty and hunger. Aid workers and international media have referred to the area as a “One-Kidney Village,” where organ sales have reportedly become a desperate means to pay debts, buy food, and cover medical expenses.
Residents and affected families say these decisions were not made by choice, but out of severe desperation and helplessness. Several parents reportedly underwent surgery simply to feed their children or avoid eviction, while some households saw more than one family member sell a kidney. Although organ trafficking remains illegal in Afghanistan, weak oversight and deteriorating economic conditions have allowed the underground trade to continue in different parts of the country.
Human rights organizations state that poor donors are often paid as little as $1,500 for a kidney, while patients from across Afghanistan travel to Herat for such operations. Doctors and aid workers have expressed alarm over the sharp rise in cases following the country’s economic collapse, warning that many donors later suffer chronic pain, physical weakness, and long-term inability to perform hard labor. Many victims say the temporary financial relief from selling an organ failed to solve their long-term hardships.
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