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SCMP Reporter

MALAYSIAN renal patients, spurred on by a flood of Hong Kong residents seeking kidneys in Guangzhou last month, are desperate for replacement organs from executed mainland prisoners.

  More than 300 kidney patients have asked doctors at a top Malaysian renal centre to buy them organs in China.

  The move follows a decision made in India, traditionally the market for Malaysians seeking organs, to ban their sale.

  The Sunday Morning Post revealed at least 20 renal patients rushed to Guangzhou last month to get organs from prisoners to be executed during the Labour Day celebrations.

  Co-ordinator at the Muar Lions Club Renal Centre in Johor, Goh Ah Nea, said patients became anxious after India announced a ban on organ trading in February.

  In the past four years, the non-profit centre sent 106 renal patients to India to receive kidney transplants. Each paid M$16,000 (HK$50,000) for the package, including transplant, hospitalisation, medicine and kidneys.

  Mr Goh said patients were now looking to China for kidneys, despite the HK$200,000 price tag on transplants.

  'But we have no connection with the hospitals in China . . .'he said. 'Unofficially, some of our members have contacted the Chinese officials from the Health Ministry.

  'They said they usually only allow surgery for locals, and transplants would become a sensitive issue once foreign people were involved,' he said.

  In India, kidneys were 'donated' by poor people who signed an agreement signifying the sale was voluntary. They received M$2,000.

  Mr Goh said while they still hoped India would lift the ban, they would turn to their colleagues in Hong Kong to find access to China.

  But a Hong Kong Lions Kidney Educational Centre spokesman said they could not help.

  'Ethically speaking, we don't support trade of organs - particularly when we aren't sure where the organs come from,' said the club's executive administrator, Dr Timothy Teoh.

  'We have no connection with mainland hospitals and have no idea which hospitals have a higher quality of service. What we have learned is from the press . . . '   Medical experts have warned renal patients to carefully consider the risks before seeking mainland surgery.

  A 1991 government survey found the death rate of patients who received kidneys in China was four times higher than those transplanted locally.

  'We also found patients who received transplants in China were more vulnerable to infection,' said research team leader Dr Cheng Kam-bo.

   Mainland patients were more likely to become infected with Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C, causing liver damage.

  Professor Yu Lixin, deputy director of Guangzhou's Nanfang Military Medical University No. 1 Hospital has claimed the hospital's success rate is better than 98 per cent.



Malaysian try to buy transplant kidneys from China