Hospital Group and Doctors in Organ Trafficking Scam
Durban, South Africa
A leading private hospital group in South Africa and five of its doctors have been charged this week for involvement in an international kidney trafficking syndicate linking to Israel and Brazil.
The Netcare group of hospitals, its CEO Richard Friedland, an Israeli interpreter and two transplant unit staff at the group’s Durban hospital have been summoned in court in November for eleven charges where they were involved in an illegal scheme which Netcare is accused of making large profits, charges it denies.
Netcare’s St Augustine’s Hospital in Durban allegedly conducted over 100 kidney operations within 2001 and 2003 to provide wealthy Israelis with kidney transplant from organs donated by poor Brazilians, Romanians and Israelis.
The documents facilitating the surgery were allegedly forged to show that the donor and recipient of the organs were related as required by law in South Africa. The charges include those of fraud, forgery, serious assault and contravening the human tissues and prevention of organized crime act as reported by the Times newspaper in South Africa.
The state claims from its investigations that kidney suppliers from Israeli were paid approximately US$20000, cheaper suppliers were sourced among Romanian and Brazilian citizens, who were paid, on average, about US$6000 for their kidneys.
The scam was first exposed in 2003 where 5 doctors were arrested two years later but Netcare was not implicated. The state started new investigation later, bringing charges against Netcare for allegedly setting up the scam with an Israeli organ broker Ilan Perryand a prominent kidney specialist Jeffrey Kallmeyer.
The group has expressed disappointment in a statement from the prosecuting authorities for pressing charges against the firm after cooperation in investigations.
The black market in organ trade is believed to be thriving as shortage of organs is been being experienced through out the world, which the World Health Organization terms as a universal problem.
Abuja, Nigeria
Jonathan to Contest in Presidential Polls
Nigeria’s incumbent president Goodluck Jonathan has declared his intention to contend in the January presidential polls, despite of the governing party agreement on rotation of power between the north and south. In a statement on his page on the social networking site-Facebook, Jonathan termed his decision was made ‘after wide and thorough Consultations’.
“Today, I confirm that after wide and thorough consultations…, I Goodluck Ebele Jonathan by the grace of God hereby offer myself and my services to the Nigerian people as a candidate for the office of President in the forth coming 2011 elections”, read the statement.
He said he would make a formal declaration for his intention on Saturday, ending years of speculations.
His bid is deemed to be controversial following an agreement by the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) on power rotation between the Muslim north and predominantly Christian south every two terms, meaning a northerner should be the next leader.
Jonathan, 52 , a southerner from the oil producing Niger Delta took over power following the death of President Umaru Yar’Adua from an illness.
Among other major contenders for the party nominations, Jonathan is expected to face former military ruler Gen Ibrahim Babangida who has launched his campaign and former vice-president Atiku Abubakar.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has scheduled the exercise for January 22, with concerns of not providing enough time for credible elections, which from before have been marred by rigging and violence.
Nigeria has experienced good economic performances in the recent past with a growth rate of 7 per cent per cent where a further growth is expected if the ambitious programme to expand on infrastructure and privatize power takes off.