Health experts stress need for organ donation
Number of patients who die due to the non-availability of organs every year in Pakistan is estimated to be 150,000
PHOTO: FILE
KARACHI:
The Sindh Institute of Urology (SIUT) organised a session on Saturday to highlight the plight of patients who are at end stages or organ failure and have no family donors.
The session was aimed at raising awareness about the importance of organ donation and promoting the deceased donor programme, which is the only way to save lives of patients who have reached the end stage of organ failure.
Speaking on the occasion, SIUT Director Adib Rizvi said that his institute was the first healthcare facility in the country to have a started a kidney transplantation programme in 1985. He appealed to the members of the civil society to contribute to the cause and promote the deceased organ programme across Pakistan.
He pointed out that the number of patients who die due to the non-availability of organs every year in Pakistan is estimated to be 150,000, however, adding that the actual figure can be much higher. Addressing the participants of the session, Dr Nasir Khan, a physician at SIUT, stressed that deceased organ transplantation is an acceptable norm in the Islamic world including Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Iran and many other countries. Muslims from across the world value human life and hence have expressed support for the deceased organ donation programme.
Another medic from SIUT, Dr Sadia Nishat presented the details of a notification issued by the Sindh government, which explains the complete procedure and modalities of deceased organ donation. The notification has also defined the role of public and private hospitals regarding the cases of brain deaths and outlined how healthcare facilities can coordinate with Sindh Human Organ Transplantation Authority, which is a regulatory body.
Earlier in the session, a coordinator of the deceased organ donation programme at SIUT, Dr Waseem Khan, gave an overview of the programme and its progress.
Justice Retired Majida Rizvi, Anwar Maqsood, a well-known media personality and a veteran journalist, Zubeida Mustafa also attended the event. They urged the media and members of the civil society to support deceased organ donation in the best interest of humanity and mankind. Media personnel, doctors, social activists and several patients at the end stage of organ failure were also present on the occasion.
Addressing the participants of the session, the patients narrated their tales of suffering and lamented that they were living in uncertainty.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 6th, 2019.
The Sindh Institute of Urology (SIUT) organised a session on Saturday to highlight the plight of patients who are at end stages or organ failure and have no family donors.
The session was aimed at raising awareness about the importance of organ donation and promoting the deceased donor programme, which is the only way to save lives of patients who have reached the end stage of organ failure.
Speaking on the occasion, SIUT Director Adib Rizvi said that his institute was the first healthcare facility in the country to have a started a kidney transplantation programme in 1985. He appealed to the members of the civil society to contribute to the cause and promote the deceased organ programme across Pakistan.
He pointed out that the number of patients who die due to the non-availability of organs every year in Pakistan is estimated to be 150,000, however, adding that the actual figure can be much higher. Addressing the participants of the session, Dr Nasir Khan, a physician at SIUT, stressed that deceased organ transplantation is an acceptable norm in the Islamic world including Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Iran and many other countries. Muslims from across the world value human life and hence have expressed support for the deceased organ donation programme.
Another medic from SIUT, Dr Sadia Nishat presented the details of a notification issued by the Sindh government, which explains the complete procedure and modalities of deceased organ donation. The notification has also defined the role of public and private hospitals regarding the cases of brain deaths and outlined how healthcare facilities can coordinate with Sindh Human Organ Transplantation Authority, which is a regulatory body.
Earlier in the session, a coordinator of the deceased organ donation programme at SIUT, Dr Waseem Khan, gave an overview of the programme and its progress.
Justice Retired Majida Rizvi, Anwar Maqsood, a well-known media personality and a veteran journalist, Zubeida Mustafa also attended the event. They urged the media and members of the civil society to support deceased organ donation in the best interest of humanity and mankind. Media personnel, doctors, social activists and several patients at the end stage of organ failure were also present on the occasion.
Addressing the participants of the session, the patients narrated their tales of suffering and lamented that they were living in uncertainty.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 6th, 2019.