NA body: Concerned over non-implementation of transplant act

The human organs and tissues transplantation act was passed in 2010.

ISLAMABAD:

People continue to sell their organs in the country, and the National Assembly Standing Committee on Human Rights is not happy with it.

The committee expressed serious concerns over the non-implementation of the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act 2010 in a meeting on Wednesday.

They recommended the formation of a joint investigation team comprising officials of FIA, Islamabad police and Ministry of Health to investigate the issue of foreigners coming to Pakistan for organ transplants.

Kishwar Zehra, a committee member, presented a film about 200-250 people in Sargodha district who are ready to sell their kidneys. Zehra added that about 500 people had sold their kidneys at Rs200,000 a piece. Each person gets Rs150,000, after the middleman cuts his commission.

The poor people sell kidneys to pay their loans, she said, adding the illegal sale of kidneys continues in Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Sargodha and other parts of the country.

So far no case has been registered under the organ transplant act, even after the lapse of about 18 months since it was passed, she added.

PML-N lawmaker Capt. Safder said people who want to donate kidneys through “proper channel” should not be discouraged. He added that around 600 legal kidney transplants have been performed in Itifaq Hospital – owned by Sharif brothers – in Punjab so far.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 24^th, 2011.