Ministry of Health has warned members of the public against engaging in organ trade saying it is illegal
According to Dr Frank Asiimwe, a consultant urologist and transplant surgeon; any donation should be purposely to save a life.
Dr Asiimwe says the commercialization of organ transplants could see an illegal harvest of organs from the public leading to the loss of lives.
The recently enacted Uganda human organ donation and Transplant Act of 2023 stipulates a punishment of detention of up to twelve years or a fine of 2 billion Uganda shillings once found guilty. 

The number of Ugandans seeking organ transplants continues to rise with a consultant urologist and transplant surgeon Dr. Frank Asiimwe revealing that nearly 300 Ugandans are in need of kidney transplant.

Each of these patients hopes they will find a donor to give in their organs to save their lives.

 Donors are categorized into two, the brain-dead donor where a nearly dead person is the donor and the living donor where the donor is alive and can consent to it.

Either of these donors are warned against donating for any commercial purposes. This according to the doctor is an international principle that must be observed.

Dr Asiimwe says the commercialization of organ donation is not just illegal but also puts the lives of Ugandans at risk. The law gives a punishment of up to 12 years and/or a cash fine of Uganda shillings 2 billion once found guilty of dealings in illegal organ transplants.
Meanwhile, Dr Assimwe has refuted claims of illegal organ harvest in the country.

Asiimwe says no Ugandan surgeon has the skills and knowledge required to do kidney harvest. 

With Uganda getting ready to kick start organ transplant, and Ugandan doctors not ready, experts are set to be brought in from outside the country.

Ugandans will need a period of about 3 years before they get ready to carry out activities like kidney transplants independently.

The doctor however warns this transplant won’t be for everyone.  The doctor cites post-organ harvest care as critical in the process.  Asiimwe says that every recipient must prove they’ll afford lifetime medication.

Organ trade constitutes the sale and purchase of organs for financial or material gain. The World Health Organisation (WHO) first prohibited payments for organs in 1987. Many countries including Uganda subsequently codified the prohibition into their national laws.

The organ trade involves a variety of practices which range from excessive exploitation (trafficking) to voluntary, mutually agreed benefits trade.

Although reliable figures are lacking, the WHO estimated that 5% of all transplants performed worldwide are illegal. Living donor kidneys is the most commonly reported form of organ trade.

 Now in Uganda, Hospitals will seek accreditation to carry out organ transplants, accreditation is said to be on an organ-per-organ basis as each organ gas got different prerequisites.

The approval will be done by the Uganda human organ donation and transplant council which is empowered by the act.
This council is however yet to be established by the ministry.