The Nigerian Medical Association has appointed Dr. Chimezie Okwuonu, Chief Medical Director of the Abia State Specialist Hospital and Diagnostic Centre in Umuahia, to head efforts against organ trafficking and unethical transplant practices.

He will chair the association’s National Committee on Organ Transplantation Regulation from 2026 to 2028.

The appointment was conveyed in a letter dated September 21, 2026, signed by the NMA Secretary-General on behalf of the association’s President, Prof Afekhide Omoti. The committee is tasked with recommending measures to prevent organ trafficking, commercialisation, exploitation and other unethical practices linked to organ donation and transplantation.

It will also review existing laws, regulations and ethical standards governing organ donation, procurement, allocation and transplantation. Other duties include proposing standards for the accreditation and monitoring of transplant centres, as well as safeguards for donor evaluation, informed consent and protection from coercion.

The panel is expected to develop guidelines for transparent organ allocation, promote public awareness of organ donation, and strengthen systems for procurement, preservation and traceability. It will further look at financing, insurance coverage, professional training and the creation of national transplant registries.

The Abia State Government welcomed the appointment as recognition of Okwuonu’s expertise and a source of pride for the state. Okwuonu is a consultant physician and nephrologist with experience in kidney disease, dialysis and transplantation, and is a former chairman of the NMA in Abia State.

Photo credit: Punch Newspaper