CTV: Visa Denied for Brother Willing to Donate Kidney
Ibrahim Essandoh (left), a 42-year-old immigrant who has called Canada his home for the last 25 years, is fighting for his life with a serious kidney disease. Doctors say that a kidney transplant is the only way to save Mr. Essandoh’s life. Fortunately, Ibrahim’s brother Thomas is willing to donate one of his kidneys to Ibrahim, and is a perfect match for the donation.There is one problem: Thomas (below right) lives in Ghana in West Africa, and Canada is not allowing him to fly across the ocean to do this life-saving operation. Immigration department has denied the application for a visitor’s visa even though Ibrahim had the medical documents from St. Paul’s hospital explaining his medical conditions and the urgent need to have the transplant done. The immigration office had subsequently requested Mr. Essandoh to submit DNA documentations to prove that Thomas is indeed his brother. Ibrahim did that, but the visa is still not granted to date.
What I don’t understand is: why do we even need proof that Thomas is Ibrahim’s brother?! We are talking about a life-saving procedure here! Does it even matter if Thomas is indeed Ibrahim’s brother? There is medical proof that Thomas can save Ibrahim’s life, and that is ALL that matters. If someone is afraid that Thomas will enter Canada and not leave, add as many conditions as you want when granting his visitor’s visa. Have people escort him to the hospital upon his landing in Canada, and supervise him until he is fit to fly back to Ghana. Do whatever, but allow a human being to give a gift of life to another fellow human being! What IS the hold-up?
Bureaucracy and political red tapping often sicken me to no ends, and this is just another great but sad example.
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