Myanmar Villagers Reveal Desperate Illegal Kidney Sales: 'I Just Wanted to Own a House and Pay Off My Debts'
Zeya, whose name has been changed to protect his identity, is one of many villagers in Myanmar driven to extreme measures by the country's economic collapse following the 2021 military coup. The coup triggered a civil war, sending prices soaring and pushing millions into poverty. Zeya, struggling to feed his young family and drowning in debt, saw no other way out.
Living in his mother-in-law's thatched-roof house in a rural village a few hours from Yangon, Myanmar's largest city, Zeya knew others in his community who had sold their kidneys. "They looked healthy to me," he says. Encouraged by their apparent recovery, he began seeking a way to do the same.
Zeya is among eight villagers in the area who told BBC Burmese they had sold a kidney by traveling to India, where illegal organ trading is a growing problem. His story sheds light on the shadowy networks that facilitate such transactions and the desperation that drives people to make life-altering decisions.
The Broker and the Deal
Buying or selling human organs is illegal in both Myanmar and India. However, Zeya quickly found a broker who arranged the entire process. The broker organized medical tests and, within weeks, identified a potential recipient—a Burmese woman in need of a kidney transplant.
In India, organ donations between non-relatives must be proven altruistic, with a clear explanation of the relationship between donor and recipient. To bypass this, Zeya says the broker forged a family tree document, a mandatory record in Myanmar that lists household members.
"The broker put my name in the recipient's family tree," Zeya explains. "He made it appear as if I was donating to a distant relative—someone related by marriage but not by blood."
Zeya and the recipient were introduced in Yangon, where a man posing as a doctor completed the paperwork. Zeya was warned that backing out would incur a hefty fee. When contacted by the BBC, the man claimed his role was solely to assess the donor's fitness for surgery, not to verify the relationship between donor and recipient.
Zeya was promised 7.5 million Myanmar kyats (approximately
1700 to1,700 to 2,700, depending on fluctuating exchange rates). He flew to northern India for the surgery, which took place in a large hospital.
The Approval Process
In India, all organ transplants involving foreign nationals must be approved by an authorization committee, typically established by the hospital or local government. Zeya recalls being interviewed by a panel of four people via a translator.
"They asked me if I was willingly donating my kidney, not by force," he says. Zeya stuck to the script provided by the broker, claiming the recipient was a relative. The transplant was approved.
The surgery itself went smoothly, though Zeya experienced significant pain during recovery. "There were no big issues after the surgery, except that I couldn't move without pain," he says. He remained in the hospital for a week before returning home.
A 'Fake Mum' and Memorized Lies
Another donor, Myo Win (also a pseudonym), shared a similar story. He was instructed to memorize a fabricated backstory, claiming the recipient was married to one of his relatives.
"The broker gave me a piece of paper, and I had to memorize what was written on it," Myo Win says. When the authorization committee called his mother for verification, the broker arranged for a woman to impersonate her.
"The fake mum confirmed I was donating my kidney to a relative with her permission," he explains.
Like Zeya, Myo Win was promised 7.5 million kyats, described as a "charitable donation." However, he had to pay the broker a 10% commission. Both men received a third of the payment upfront, which Myo Win says compelled him to go through with the surgery.
"I made up my mind that I had to do it because I had already taken their money," he says. Myo Win, burdened by debt and his wife's medical bills, saw no other option. "I chose this desperate way," he admits.
A Wider Crisis
Zeya and Myo Win's stories are not unique. Across Asia, impoverished individuals are resorting to selling their kidneys to escape financial ruin. In Afghanistan, Pakistan, and other countries, similar tales of desperation have been documented.
For Zeya, the money he received allowed him to pay off some debts and build a small house for his family. However, the long-term physical and emotional toll remains. "I don't regret it because I had no other choice," he says. "But I wouldn't recommend it to anyone."
The Broader Implications
The illegal organ trade thrives in regions plagued by poverty, weak governance, and inadequate healthcare systems. In Myanmar, the economic crisis exacerbated by the coup has pushed many to the brink, making them vulnerable to exploitation by brokers and traffickers.
While Zeya and Myo Win achieved their immediate goals, their stories highlight the urgent need for systemic change. Addressing the root causes of poverty, improving access to healthcare, and cracking down on illegal organ trading are essential steps to prevent others from facing such dire choices.
For now, Zeya and Myo Win are left to rebuild their lives, carrying the physical scars of their decisions and the hope that their sacrifices will secure a better future for their families.
Names have been changed to protect identities.
