India gets about half a million medical tourists every year.
Now, the country has added another feather to its cap, by overcoming legal
restrictions to exchange kidneys between unrelated families living in different
countries.
Esther Githinji, 33, from Kenya and Aarif Khokar, a 33-year-old
tailor from the Indian state of Rajasthan are the two patients are the first in
the world to undergo an international kidney swap.
Ms Githinji’s sister, Ann Githinji, donated her kidney to Mr
Aarif and his wife, Sabira Khokar, gave hers to Ms Githinji.
Existing Indian law does not allow international organ swaps,
but Dr Jatin Kothari, Nephrologist, Hinduja Hospital fought for it and got
legal approval from both governments.