NADRA to register organ donors

Punjab Caretaker Health Minister Dr Javed Akram announced on Tuesday plans for the health department to sign an MoU with the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) for the registration of human organ donors.

He emphasised that anyone willing to donate organs would be registered with NADRA.

Presided over the 27th meeting of the Punjab Human Organ Transplantation Authority (PHOTA) at the Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education (SH&ME) Secretariat on Tuesday.

The meeting, attended by Additional Secretary Finance Shahid Farooq, Punjab Healthcare Commission CEO Dr Saqib Aziz, PHOTA DG Dr Shehzad Anwar, PKLI Dean Dr Faisal Saood Dar, and officers from other departments, addressed key agenda items.

Dr Fahad Abbas, brother of the late Rifat, an organ donor, also participated, and tributes were paid to Rifat for saving three lives.

Read Deceased woman's organ donation saves lives

The meeting approved a special grant for a crackdown against those involved in the illegal transplantation of human organs. Standard operating procedures (SOPs) regarding human organ donation were also given the green light.

A summary for the approval of a grant covering transplantation expenses for PHOTA will be sent to the Punjab Caretaker Chief Minister.

Additionally, a request for a civil award for Rifat, who saved three lives through organ donation, will be submitted.

During the meeting, PHOTA received permission to recruit employees on short-term contracts, pending approval from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

The Department of Inspection and Registration at PHOTA was approved to register various public and private hospitals. PHOTA was directed to issue an annual calendar for monitoring authority meetings, and decisions from the 26th meeting of the monitoring authority were ratified.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 29^th, 2023.