The Nigerian government is set to launch a national policy on organ transplantation next month, aiming to create structured guidelines for ethical organ donation and transplantation in the country.
This announcement was made by Daju Kachollom, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health, during a stakeholder meeting in Abuja organized by the National Tertiary Health Institutions Standards Committee (NTHISC) and other partners.
Represented by Dr Jimoh Salaudeen, Director of Hospital Services, Kachollom highlighted that the ministry has tasked the NTHISC with developing comprehensive guidelines to prevent irregularities and combat criminal exploitation in Nigeria’s organ donation and transplantation sector.
“The draft guidelines are currently under validation and will move forward for ministerial and presidential approval before becoming official policy,” Kachollom explained.
He stated that following the policy’s launch, compliance monitoring is expected to begin within two months.
The draft guidelines, as outlined by NTHISC Chairman Prof. Philip Olayele Abiodun, address various transplantation needs in Nigeria, including kidney and liver transplants, eye and tissue transplants, and bone marrow transplants. It also covers gamete and embryo donation, storage, and surrogacy.
Prof. Jacob Awobusuyi, chairman of the NTHISC kidney committee, emphasized ongoing efforts to regulate private health facilities, ensuring they meet ethical standards and preventing unethical practices in kidney donation and transplantation.
“This policy marks Nigeria’s first formal initiative to standardize organ donation and transplantation, promoting safe and ethical practices in line with global standards,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the Coordinating Minister for Health & Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, has launched the Nigeria Climate Change and Health Vulnerability Assessment Report.
The report was launched on the final day of the 2024 Joint Annual Review Meeting on Health, held from November 6-8, 2024.
The report is part of Nigeria’s proactive approach to addressing the health impacts of climate change, with a focus on building a resilient health system to mitigate these effects nationwide.
