Coronavirus is driving the black market for medical equipment, medicines, Plasma Mafia and protective masks as profiteers have adapted quickly to the benefit of the pandemic, a business leader said.
A black market for the plasma of COVID-19 patients has emerged in Pakistan which is unfortunate, said Dr. Murtaza Mughal, President of the Pakistan Economy Watch and Convener FPCCI Central Standing Committee on Insurance. He said that the government should take note of the thriving black market amid the health crisis which is flourishing by exploiting the poor patients.
Agents of the mafia can be seen in many hospitals offering plasma of the people who have recovered from the disease for hundreds of thousands of rupees which is highly unethical, he added.
The black market emerged after successful trials in which coronavirus patients were injected with the blood of those who have recovered.
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Dr. Murtaza Mughal noted that if a considerable number of those who recovered from coronavirus donate there will be no black marketing but it is not the case.
The mafia is also tracking patients with the help of some doctors and calling them and their families for plasma donations and it will soon come on social media if an action was delayed, he feared.
The issue of injecting coronavirus patients with the plasma of recovered patients was still in the experimental stage in many countries including Pakistan and trials are yet to be generalized.
The government can consider barring private hospitals, clinics, and labs from collecting plasma donations as it is for business purpose only and advise people to donate at government hospitals while keeping an eye on the government employees to discourage them from involvement.
Chairman of PEW Brig. Aslam Khan said that mafia has deprived the poor of the facility to get well after plasma therapy.
He said that people should not use the opportunity to make money but to help others according to the directions of Holy Quraan which clearly says that “Whoever saved it (life) it is as though he had saved all mankind.”
Blood donation was religiously permissible and there was nothing wrong with it but selling it is not permissible.
