The GroenLinks­PvdA party is advocating for equal protections in organ dona­tion for residents of the Caribbe­an Netherlands, urging the Dutch government to extend a planned reporting system to Bonaire, St. Eustatius, and Saba (BES). The Dutch Parliament is set to vote on the proposal tomorrow, Thurs­day.

The Organ Donation Act and the Safety and Quality of Human Tissue Act provide safeguards for donors and recipients of organs such as hearts, livers, kidneys, and skin. Under an upcoming amendment, healthcare provid­ers in the Netherlands will be re­quired to report when a patient travels abroad for a transplant. This system will not include per­sonal data but will track the type of organ, date, and country of transplantation.

“This data collection and in­ternational sharing will improve oversight of transplant-related travel and help combat illegal organ trafficking. It can also sup­port cross-border cooperation on organ transplantation,” accord­ing to an explanation of the legis­lative proposal.

The new reporting require­ment is set to apply only in the European Netherlands, not in the BES islands. Health Minister Fleur Agema, representing the far-right Party for Freedom PVV argued that a reporting system is unnecessary for the Caribbean territories, as organ transplants do not take place in hospitals on Bonaire, St. Eustatius, or Saba. “Patients usually travel to the Netherlands, but they may also go to other countries. If trans­plants do not occur locally, there is no need for a reporting sys­tem,” Agema stated during a parliamentary debate.

GroenLinks-PvdA law­makers Elke Slagt-Tichel­man and Raoul White strongly disagree, arguing that the exclusion leaves Caribbean residents vul­nerable. “I find it very strange that this reporting system will not apply to BES residents, as they also need protection from ille­gal organ trade,” said Slagt­-Tichelman.

Minister Agema sug­gested that Caribbean Netherlands residents seek transplants in the Euro­pean Netherlands under Dutch medical supervision.

However, the GroenLinks-PvdA members remain un­satisfied with this response and have submitted an amendment to extend the reporting requirement to the islands.

“Since residents of the Ca­ribbean Netherlands must travel abroad for organ transplants or other human tissue procedures, they are potentially more vulnerable to malpractice and illegal organ trafficking,” they wrote in their amendment. The Dutch Parliament will vote on the bill and the pro­posed amendment tomor­row.

The Daily Herald.