Revive organ hope

Listen to article

In Pakistan, 10 to 15 patients die every day waiting for an organ that never comes. These are preventable deaths. Lives could have been saved if Pakistan had a functional and accessible organ donation system. With thousands suffering from end-stage kidney, liver and heart diseases, the demand for organs is rising sharply. Yet donations remain alarmingly low.

The root of this crisis lies not in the lack of medical capacity, but in a broken system. Becoming a donor in Pakistan is far from straightforward. There is no national organ donor registry that citizens can easily access.

The process is bogged down by red tape and excessive documentations as well as procedures. Even families willing to donate their loved ones' organs often find themselves discouraged by institutional delays and a lack of coordination between medical facilities. Public awareness is also dangerously low.

Social misconceptions and religious stigmas dominate the conversation around organ donation. Most Pakistanis are unaware of how to become a donor or of the life-saving impact their decision could have. There has been no sustained national campaign to inform citizens or build trust in the system.

This must change. First, the government needs to establish a centralised, digital donor registry — linked with NADRA — that allows individuals to voluntarily register their consent. Second, hospitals across provinces must be trained and equipped with the protocols to handle deceased organ donations in a timely and respectful manner. Third, a nationwide public awareness drive is essential to normalise donation as a civic responsibility.

Legislation also needs an overhaul. The existing framework must be simplified to prioritise patients and streamline hospital coordination. Pakistan must learn from countries that have turned their systems around. Organ donation must no longer be thought off as a marginal issue.