BACKGROUND
Kidney selling is a global phenomenon with higher-income countries functioning as recipients and lower-income countries as donors, reflecting the gaps due to poverty and vulnerability. Over the years, an increasing number of residents in a village near the capital city of Nepal have sold their kidneys and yet the factors embedded in local social, cultural, political, and individual context driving kidney selling are poorly understood.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study is to explore the drivers of kidney selling, and its consequences in Hokse village in Central Nepal using ethnographic methods and multi-stakeholder consultations.
METHODS
An ethnographic approach along with in-depth interviews and key informant interviews will be conducted among the residents and kidney sellers in the village. Relevant participants in the village will be selected purposively using a snowball approach. The number of participants will be predicated on the principles of data saturation. In addition, consultations with relevant stakeholders will be conducted at various levels, which will include authorities within the village, outside, and policymakers. All interviews will be conducted face to face, audio recorded for transcription, and subjected to a thematic analysis.
RESULTS
The research has received ethical approval from the Mahidol University Central Institutional Review Board (MU-CIRB), Thailand and Nepal Health Research Council (NHRC), Nepal. The findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications.
CONCLUSIONS
In conclusion, this study aims to study explore the reason of kidney selling from the Hokse village and understand the perspectives from the multiple stakeholders.