Ray of hope for liver patients

Expense of transplantation can be paid in instalments, says governor.

KARACHI: Liver transplantation at Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) has come as a ray of hope for patients suffering from liver diseases, said Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan.

He congratulated the three patients who went under liver transplant surgeries, conducted on May 14 till May 16. Neither the three donors nor their recipients have experienced any complications so far, claimed Khan during a press briefing at university's Ojha Campus on Sunday evening.

He lauded the efforts of the team of surgeons, led by professor Shams Nadeem Alam, for conducting the transplantation and prayed for the quick recovery of the recipients.

According to Khan, not a single patient will be denied the surgery if he or she cannot bear its expense. Patients will be allowed to pay through instalments. "The first 10 liver transplants at DUHS will be done free of cost," he added.

Speaking about DUHS, Khan said since its inception the institute has emerged as a role model for the other universities. He also appreciated the quality of health services being provided by the university and added that he gets his blood tests done from the university's laboratory.

After the successful liver transplantation, the university can now be compared with any international university across the world, said Khan. DUHS acting vice-chancellor Professor Masood Hameed has successfully expanded the university through a dynamic approach, he added.

Professor Alam of DUHS while talking to the The Express Tribune said, "It's an honour for the public sector university to accomplish the milestone of carrying out liver transplant."

Zahid Hussain, one of the donors who donated the liver to his brother Allah Dino, said he was glad to see his brother recovering after the successful surgery. "I am thankful to the doctors and the staff for offering the best possible services to us."

Khan also laid the foundation stone of solid organ and soft tissues transplantation unit, which will soon start transplantation of other body organs, such as liver and pancreas at the Ojha campus.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 31^st, 2016.