While the Taliban’s ban on organ transplants ostensibly aims to address the illegal trade, it also eliminates the possibility of medically necessary transplants. Islamic scholar Abdul Saboor Abbasi argued that the Taliban’s interpretation of Shari’a law is overly restrictive, the Radio Azadi report said.

The Taliban’s recent decision to ban organ transplants in Afghanistan has sparked widespread concern among medical professionals, patients, and human rights advocates. The extremist group has declared the transplantation of organs such as the heart, kidneys, and lungs to be “un-Islamic,” a move that could leave thousands of Afghans without access to potentially lifesaving treatments.

The ban, announced by the Taliban’s Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice on December 10, also aims to combat the booming illegal organ trade in the country. However, critics argue that it unfairly targets patients in dire need of legitimate medical care.

“I’m in deep trouble,” said Wahid, a resident of Parwan Province who is suffering from severe kidney and gallbladder issues. “The doctors say a kidney transplant is the only way to cure me. What will I do now?” Wahid asked Firuza Azizi, a journalist from Radio Azadi.

Radio Azadi also spoke to Rashid, a resident of Herat Province, who shared a similar plight. His cousin, who desperately needs a kidney transplant, has been waiting in a hospital despite their village raising donations for the procedure. “He is still waiting in the hospital,” Rashid lamented.

Afghan surgeon Bismallah Shewamal, based in Germany, emphasised the critical importance of organ transplants in modern medicine. “Organ transplants are an important means to save lives,” he said, noting that such procedures are widely accepted across the world, including in many Islamic countries.

Organ transplants often rely on voluntary donations, either during the donor’s lifetime or after death. In many countries, including Islamic ones, family members or close relatives can donate organs to save the lives of loved ones. However, Afghanistan lacks robust legal frameworks regulating organ transplants, which has allowed the illegal trade of organs to flourish.

Herat’s One Kidney Village

Afghanistan’s widespread poverty has fuelled an underground market for human organs, particularly kidneys, as individuals struggle to make ends meet. In Herat Province, an area became infamously known as “one kidney village,” where desperate residents sold their kidneys for around $1,500 each.

The situation worsened following the Taliban’s seizure of power in 2021, which plunged Afghanistan into an economic crisis. The humanitarian disaster intensified, forcing many to resort to selling organs to survive.

While the Taliban’s ban ostensibly aims to address this illegal trade, it also eliminates the possibility of medically necessary transplants. Islamic scholar Abdul Saboor Abbasi argued that the Taliban’s interpretation of Shari’a law is overly restrictive. “Several contemporary rulings by leading Muslim jurists allow voluntary organ donations for transplants,” Abbasi said. “The donor must be an adult and of sound mind, and the recipient must benefit from the transplant.”

A Necessity, Not a Luxury

Globally, organ transplantation is recognized as a critical medical treatment. Islamic countries like Saudi Arabia and Iran have robust organ donation systems guided by Islamic principles. Most organs are donated voluntarily, with systems in place to ensure ethical practices.

Doctors and patients in Afghanistan fear that the Taliban’s blanket ban will have devastating consequences. “This decision will cost lives,” said a Kabul-based doctor who wished to remain anonymous. “We already lack resources, and now, even the chance of saving lives through transplants has been taken away.”

Patients like Wahid and Rashid’s cousin represent just a fraction of those who will suffer under the ban. For them, organ transplants are not a luxury but a necessity—one that has been stripped away by the Taliban’s hardline policies.

As Afghanistan grapples with an economic and humanitarian crisis, the ban on organ transplants adds another layer of suffering for its people. Many now hope for international intervention or advocacy to reverse the decision and provide Afghans with access to lifesaving medical care.