Desperate Afghans are selling their kidneys to feed starving families

Kabul: Amid starvation and prolonged humanitarian crisis in the country with the subsequent economic collapse, Afghans are now resorting to some desperate measures to alleviate poverty and feed their families.

As per a media report, people of Herat are now selling their kidneys to feed their families.

According to the TOLO News report, these residents from the Injil district have sold their kidneys in the black market for little money to survive amid the dire poverty.

"We sell our kidneys if someone buys to bring something for our children to eat," said one of the residents.

Among those who have been selling their kidneys are children and women.

According to the law of the country, selling organs or parts are the body is illegal, but these families say that they have no other options to survive.

"We are happy, the security situation is good, but prices are a bit high in the country," another resident told TOLO News.

The sale of kidneys due to poverty in some parts of Herat made headlines last year also.

But now as a catastrophic humanitarian crisis looms in Afghanistan, world leaders and officials are taking the warning seriously.

The UK's foreign secretary Liz Truss said: "We are working very hard first of all to bring people out of Afghanistan, and we are using various routes to do that, we are also putting in additional humanitarian aid into Afghanistan." When asked, she said reports of selling kidneys "are very concerning."

Economic analysts say the lifting of sanctions and the release of billions of frozen dollars of the country's assets from world banks would be effective ways to improve the lives of the people of Afghanistan.

"The price of goods rose sharply and caused the most vulnerable sections of society to suffer more," said Abdul Nasir Reshtial, economist.

However, Taliban leaders have denied the humanitarian catastrophe threatening the country. "There are some rumours and propaganda that the country is going through a crisis, and it is not correct," the main government spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, had told.

"We have resources and ongoing works, revenue collection which is enough for our government."