The move by the Philippine government to ban kidney transplants involving foreigners will affect many Saudi kidney patients waiting for their turn to have their transplants done in that country, according to the head of a Saudi volunteer group helping Saudis in sourcing their kidneys in Manila. “I have spoken on the advantages of the sourcing of kidney from the Philippines for our Saudi patients before government agencies in Manila. I will provide an update on this situation,” said Najeeb A.R. Al-Zamil, the head of the Saudi volunteer group, without elaborating. He said there are now 120 Saudi kidney patients who are on the waiting list for kidney transplant in Manila. There are many Saudis who have availed of kidney transplantation in the Philippines during the past years. Many of them are businessmen and from the military. Al-Zamil's volunteer group was formed to help Saudi seeking kidney transplantation in the Philippines by looking for the best hospitals for them, prevent their exploitation by brokers, and provide them with support during the process of transplantation. Philippine Health Secretary Francisco Duque issued the ban Monday until a newly approved order takes effect that is aimed at eradicating a thriving black market in organ trade. The suspension has delayed some operations involving foreigners. The government will also create a government board to oversee kidney donations and transplants, ensuring proper care of donors and making highly secretive transactions on kidney trade more transparent and ethical. The order, which took more than two years to craft, was sought specifically because of numerous reports of patients coming here from Japan, the Middle East and Western countries in search of kidney donors. A 1991 law only regulated transplants of kidneys and other organs from brain-dead donors. The order takes effect 15 days after it is published, possibly Friday, in a national newspaper. It prioritizes Filipino patients in the allocation of locally available kidneys for transplants, and mandates authorities to set specific limits. __
