PM Shehbaz lays foundation stone of kidney and liver transplant varsity

LAHORE: In a major development, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday laid the foundation stone of the Pakistan Kidney and Liver Transplant University (PKLI).

Addressing all the inaugural ceremony, Sharif stated that the PKLI began its journey in 2015. He praised Professor Saeed Akhtar for his relentless efforts for initiating liver transplantation in Pakistan.

The prime minister emphasized that PKLI provided treatment without discrimination between rich and poor. “It should stand as a beacon of hope for patients, regardless of their financial status,” he said.

He also highlighted that the PKLI was constructed adhering to international standards, ensuring the best possible care for patients.

“The dedicated doctors and staff of PKLI are providing exceptional services to the people,” said the premier.

PM Sharif recalled that in the past, 23 out of 26 ‘filter clinics’ were closed down due to unfortunate negligence. However, now those ‘filter clinics’ are back under the umbrella of PKLI.

Furthermore, he said, PKLI’s trust fund has successfully gathered Rs15 billion, a significant milestone for the institute.

The PKLI is a tertiary referral hospital in Lahore. It was established in 2017 with the aim of providing free and quality care for patients with kidney and liver diseases, including transplantation.

It is the first university of its kind in Pakistan and the region.

Kidney transplantation is a surgical procedure that replaces a damaged or diseased kidney with a healthy one from a donor.

It is a life-saving treatment for patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), who otherwise need dialysis to survive.

Kidney transplantation can improve the quality of life and survival of ESRD patients. However, kidney transplantation in Pakistan faces many challenges, such as:

Shortage of organs

There is a huge gap between the demand and supply of kidneys for transplantation.

According to some estimates, there are about 20,000 patients waiting for a kidney transplant in Pakistan, but only about 400 transplants are performed annually.

The main source of kidneys is living donors, who are usually relatives or friends of the recipients. There is no organized system of deceased donation in Pakistan, which limits the availability of organs.

Organ trade

Due to the scarcity of organs and the lack of regulation, Pakistan has become a hub for illegal organ trade, where poor people are exploited and coerced to sell their kidneys for money.

This practice violates the human rights and dignity of the donors, exposes them to health risks and complications, and deprives them of proper follow-up care.

It also undermines the ethical principles of altruism and justice in organ donation.

Lack of infrastructure

There are only 12 transplantation centers in Pakistan, most of them located in urban areas. The rural population has limited access to transplantation services.

Moreover, the transplantation centers lack adequate facilities, equipment, staff, and training to ensure safe and effective transplantation.

There is also a need for more coordination and standardization among the centers to improve the quality and outcomes of transplantation.

Legal and ethical issues

There is a lack of clear and comprehensive legislation to regulate organ transplantation in Pakistan. The existing law, which was enacted in 2010, has some loopholes and ambiguities that allow organ trade to continue.

For example, the law does not define who can be a living donor, what constitutes consent, and what are the criteria for eligibility and allocation of organs.

KP health department enforces uniform policy

The law also does not provide enough protection and support for donors and recipients, such as compensation, insurance, and counseling. Furthermore, there are some religious and cultural barriers that hinder organ donation in Pakistan, such as misconceptions, myths, and stigma associated with it.

Experts call for addressing these challenges urgently to ensure that kidney transplantation in Pakistan is ethical, safe, and beneficial for both donors and recipients.

They suggest increasing public awareness and education about organ donation and transplantation, especially among the rural and religious communities.

The experts also call for developing a national organ donation program that promotes deceased donation and regulates living donation according to international guidelines.

They urge for strengthening the infrastructure and capacity of transplantation centers by providing more funding, equipment, staff, training, and accreditation.

The experts also call for implementing and enforcing the existing law effectively and revising it where necessary to close the gaps and loopholes that enable organ trade.

They demand establishing a national registry and database of donors and recipients to monitor and evaluate the transplantation activities and outcomes.

The experts also call for providing adequate protection and support for donors and recipients, such as compensation, insurance, counseling, follow-up care, and anti-rejection drugs.