Human Development

Jun 2, 2026 Christina Sarah Hauser  and Maleke Fourati

Developing countries facing organ shortages often search for complex solutions, such as sweeping legal reforms. But Tunisia’s experience suggests a much simpler first step: awareness-raising sessions where doctors explain how the transplant system works, and people share their fears and concerns.

TUNIS—Every year, thousands of people in developing countries die waiting for an organ transplant that never comes, not because the surgery is too expensive or too complex, but because of the dearth of donors.