Organ sale to be criminalized under new transplant law

The Attorney General’s Office has submitted a landmark Organ Transplant Bill to the People’s Majlis, aiming to establish a comprehensive legal framework for organ transplantation in the Maldives while criminalizing the sale and unauthorized removal of human organs.

The bill outlines strict penalties for:

• Removing organs without consent
• Selling or purchasing organs for transplant
• Operating without a transplant license
• Submitting false information or violating transplant protocols

Only live-donor transplants will be permitted under the law. Donors must be:

• At least 18 years old
• Mentally sound
• Voluntarily consenting

Not in state custody or serving a sentence

To oversee implementation, the bill proposes the creation of:

• A nine-member Organ Transplant Council
• A five-member Organ Transplant Authorization Committee

Quality control will be managed under the Health Services Act, ensuring that medical facilities meet required standards before transplants are authorized.

Once passed, the bill will come into force 180 days after ratification. Health Minister Abdulla Nazim previously confirmed that the first draft was completed in consultation with local and international medical experts, and emphasized that the law would elevate the Maldives’ healthcare system to a new level.

Currently, no hospital in the Maldives is authorized to perform organ transplants, though some private hospitals have developed the necessary infrastructure. Legal approval is pending the enactment of this bill.