kidney centre of Shaikh Zayed Hospital (SZH) can perform 150 liver transplants in a year

LAHORE: More than 150 liver transplants can be performed at the liver transplantation unit of the kidney centre of Shaikh Zayed Hospital (SZH).
These views were expressed by Associate Prof Dr Amir Latif of the liver transplantation unit in an exclusive talk with APP on Sunday. 
He said that liver diseases were sharply increasing in the country. “Around 425 patients have been on the waiting list of transplant for the last two years due to lack of staff and required facilities,” he added.
He said the as the kidney of a donor could be transplanted to two persons, the liver could also be donated to two persons, as its 30 percent was enough for a health body. “Even one alive person can donate 50 percent of his liver,” he said, adding that cadaver donation had become a need of the hour due to increase in liver diseases in the country.
He said that the lungs and the heart could also be donated to an ill person. “According to the Cadaver Human Tissue Ordinance 2009 and its passage in form of an act in the 18th Amendment, now it is a legal practice to transplant donated organs,” he said.
Prof Amir Latif was of the view that through cadaver donation, around 150 transplants could be performed every year. “There is an urgent need to motivate people to donate their organs in the larger interest of the ailing humanity,” he added.
He said that cadaver donation had started in Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Iran and in some countries of Europe, like Germany, where it was mandatory to donate organs after death.

Infectious diseases: Separately, the Post-Graduate Medical Institute (PGMI) has established a cell consisting of senior health experts for monitoring and control of infectious diseases. This cell will create awareness among the masses and inform them about the precautionary measures against seasonal and communicable disease through organising seminars and workshops.
PGMI Principal Prof Anjum Habib Vohra said that the cell included Prof Ghiasun Nabi Tayyab, Prof Ahtashamuddin Qureshi, Prof Agha Shabbir Ali, Prof Saulatullah Khan, Prof Najamul Hassan, Dr Mian Azhar Ahmed and Dr Shahid Mehmood.
Prof Vohra said that the government and people were spending a huge amount on the curative side, but there was a need to promote prevention, through which huge funds could be saved and this amount be used for other welfare projects.
He said that disease like hepatitis, AIDS, diabetes, TB and dengue could be controlled by creating proper awareness against such diseases.
Funds: Meanwhile, the Punjab government has approved more than Rs 2.569 billion for the Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology, Rawalpindi (2nd revised) development scheme.
The approval is part of development schemes of the government under different development sectors, a spokesman for the Planning and Development Department told APP on Sunday.
The approval was granted at a meeting of the Provincial Development Working Party of fiscal year 2013-14, presided over by Punjab Planning and Development Board Chairman Muhammad Irfan Elahi. The amount would be used to improve facilities at the institute for the benefit of patients, the chair said. The huge amount granted for the institute reflects commitment and dedication of the government to improving health facilities in the province, he said.

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