HERAT: A settlement on the outskirts of Herat gained international attention after reports emerged that many residents had sold kidneys to survive Afghanistan’s deepening economic and humanitarian crisis following the Taliban’s return to power.
The area became widely known as the “one-kidney village” after aid workers and international media documented cases of families selling organs to pay debts, buy food and cover medical expenses as unemployment and poverty sharply increased.
Residents interviewed during the crisis said the decisions were driven by desperation rather than choice. Some parents underwent surgery to feed their children or avoid eviction, while in several households more than one family member had sold a kidney.
Organ trading
Although organ trading is illegal in Afghanistan, reports suggested underground kidney sales continued in parts of the country due to weak enforcement and worsening economic conditions.
According to accounts from the time, some donors received as little as $1,500 for a kidney, while transplant seekers travelled to Herat for operations.
Doctors and humanitarian workers said the number of procedures increased significantly during the country’s economic collapse, drawing global concern over the humanitarian impact of poverty and conflict.
Many donors later reported health complications including chronic pain, weakness and difficulty working after surgery, while others said the financial relief was temporary and did not solve their long-term hardships.
