Approval of Human Organ and Tissue Transplant Bill hailed

KARACHI- The approved “Human Organ and Tissue Transplant Bill” will benefit the patients of end stage organ failure of kidney, liver, heart, lungs and pancreas, as the practice of organ transplantation will ultimately be enhanced in the country.
The approval of said bill from Senate and National Assembly is really a historic moment for the whole nation, while Pakistan now stands in line with many other countries especially ten Islamic countries where the programme of deceased organ donation has been implemented.
Director Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (SIUT), Prof Dr Adib Rizvi, expressed these notions while addressing a joint Press conference held on Saturday at the SIUT.
Chairman Health Committee National Assembly Dr Nadeem Ahsan, Abdul Sattar Edhi and representatives of the Transplantation Society of Pakistan (TSP), Pakistan Society of Neph-rology (PSN) and Pakistan Association of Urological Surgeons (PAUS) were also present.
Prof Rizvi said that the Senate of Pakistan unanimously adopted the Bill on Wednesday 10th February 2010 after a struggle spanning over twenty years.
He said, “By implementing this legislation, the exploitation of the poor vendors who were attracted to sell their organs for a meagre sum, with the large amount going to the middle men and other concerned people, will be legally stopped.
The country will be spared of the label of being called as an ‘organ bazaar’.
The Bill, now a law will regulate the removal, storage and transplantation of human organs and tissues. It will lead to an era of Deceased (Cadaver) Organ Donation where any adult can donate the organs for transplantation in case of brain death.
For this achievement, the credit goes to the members of the parliament, both upper and lower houses, who gave the cause of saving a human life the due importance.
Dr Rizvi said that the media had helped tremendously in creating awareness about organ transplantation. “The support by every member of the society is also acknowledged as without that success could not be had in a democratic country.
We must not forget encouragement and advice provided by the World Health Organisation and International Transplantation Society in acquiring strong ethical transplantation.