Crowdfunding - Fund At Your Own Risk

Crowdfunding has emerged as a popular option in India to help people avail expensive medical treatments. But in the absence of regulation, donors are vulnerable to fraudulent campaigns

- Raji Ajwani-Ramchandani And Shishir Kumar Jha

EARLY THIS year, Meena Joshi (name changed), a professor in Mumbai, was approached by a friend, a medical professional, with a request to contribute for the liver transplant surgery of a 7-year-old child. Joshi was told that the child was suffering from Wilson's disease, a genetic disorder that leads to accumulation of copper in vital organs, and was directed to a medical crowdfunding platform on social media site Facebook. The platform had set the target of raising ₹22,00,000. Joshi donated a small amount and shared the fundraiser link in her network via emails and on her social media platforms, prompting a contribution of ₹3,81,235 through 251 donors. A couple of months later when Joshi sought an update from her friend on the child's health, she was informed that the treatment had been indefinitely postponed due to personal reasons of the patient.