If you’ve ever watched Grey’s Anatomy, then you’re probably familiar with the concept of organ donation and transplantation. But just how many organs can we buy, and where do they come from? Let’s talk about the price of human organs and what happens when we buy them, in Namibia specifically, but also worldwide! Spoiler alert—it’s pretty controversial stuff!

What Is a Heart Transplant?

A heart transplant is a surgical procedure to replace your old, damaged heart with a new one. This surgery also involves removing your old, damaged organ and replacing it with another healthy donor’s heart. A heart transplant may be performed on people who have cardiomyopathy—conditions that affect how well the heart pumps blood—as well as those suffering from coronary artery disease, or those diagnosed with congestive heart failure or myocardial infarction.

Types of Heart Transplants

Living-donor transplant: A patient can receive a new heart from someone who will donate part of his or her heart to another person. This donor may be an immediate family member or friend, but it could also be a person unknown to either party. Living-donor transplants are very successful and are often done on patients with advanced heart failure who do not qualify for other types of transplants.

How Much Does a Human Heart Cost in Namibia?

A lot. Not that you should buy one there…but if you do, be prepared to pay at least $10,000. In fact, if you are interested in buying any of your organs (or perhaps all of them), try selling yourself on eBay or Craigslist first! It’s not illegal to sell your own body parts.