12 arrested on accusations of organ trafficking in Giza

CAIRO – 23 August 2017: Twelve people were arrested Tuesday for allegations of involvement in human organ trafficking in Giza governorate, according to a statement issued by the Interior Ministry.

It said that three doctors, a nurse, two medical laboratory scientists and two brokers were arrested while performing surgery in a private hospital for the removal of a patient’s kidneys to be transplanted in someone else for about $20,000.

According to the statement, the whole outlawed group has been practicing the illegal activity in the Abu el Nomros district of Giza for some time; however, the security forces started investigating after receiving a complaint by a citizen against one of the resident doctors involved.

According to the statement, about $74,000 were found in the custody of the broker, as the donor was promised $20,000 after the surgery, the doctor $10,000, $3,000 for each medical laboratory specialist and $1,500 for the nurse.

The hospital was ordered closed during the investigations.

On Sunday, August 20, the Ministry of Health denied allegations reported in a video that went viral on social media about human organ trafficking in Egypt. It added that the whole German short video didn’t include real evidence indicating that these kinds of surgeries occur at the minstry’s national hospitals.

“All the organ transplant surgeries take place according to all legal conditions in our hospitals, as any other illegal surgery is prohibited. The perpetrators in this case would be punished by up to ten years in prison,” the Health Ministry statement read.