While a ray of hope has emerged for people with liver disorders after a successful cadaveric liver transplant, they face another dilemma because of scarcity of organ donors. The concept of organ donation before death is almost unheard of to many in Pakistan and gastroenterologists and liver specialists urge people to give their consent to cadaver donation in the wake of the death of their loved ones. Currently, Pakistan is one of the countries most affected by liver disease especially hepatitis. According to the World Health Organization, 11 percent of Pakistanis suffer from hepatitis with 5 percent of them suffering from chronic disorders.
Experts say that 35 percent of affected patients need liver transplantation. In many developed countries, there exists a mechanism allowing people to decide in their lifetime about donating their body parts. In Pakistan, however, there is less awareness regarding donation of body parts after death and because of this, it becomes difficult for families of deceased to allow the procedure, experts say. A few months ago, a concerned citizen named Mazhar Sahi moved the Lahore High Court seeking legislation to that effect but the court turned down his petition.
Sahi says now he will file a similar petition in the Supreme Court. It is pertinent to mention here that while hearing a human organs trade case the Supreme Court recently ordered the federal government to ensure legislation on organ donation and transplantation.
Mazhar Sahi has been the first Pakistani who underwent liver transplant twice. He has long been advocating the cause for a liver transplant centre in the country. He has also written a book on hepatitis narrating his experiences in fighting the fatal disorder. “I was diagnosed as Hepatitis C positive in 1998, at the North Western Hospital in Chicago. And they found me at the last stage of liver ceroses and the only cure left was a lever transplant,” he has written on his website.
After full recovery, he says, his aim now is to help people going through a similar ordeal. He joined a gastroenterology and hepatology community and started campaigning for liver transplant centers in Pakistan.
The SZH centre performed its first successful liver transplant last week. The patient, Amir Raza, who underwent the transplant is said to be stable and recovering. The team included three consultant surgeons Dr Amer Latif, Dr Tariq Ali Bangash and Dr Omer Ali who were assisted by Dr Khawar and Dr Mehbob. Former SZH chairman Dr Anwar A Khan also accompanied the team.
Dr Amer Latif and Dr Tariq Bangash have already performed similar operations in UK and Ireland respectively and for other team members it was the first experience. The donor was a 16-year-old boy named Arsalan who had died in an accident. Dr Tariq Bangash told Pakistan Today that they informed Amir Raza’s family after the family of deceased had agreed to donate the liver.
Doctors said the patient was recovering and the next three days would be critical. They said a ceremony will be held to mark the success of the first liver transplant after complete recovery of the patient. Dr Bangash said that the liver transplants had been done in the past in Lahore and Karachi but they were of a different nature. “In this one we had this family who were strangers to those who needed the organ and they willingly donated the liver of their deceased loved one,” he added. He said the retrieval operation was also performed by same team. The cost of a liver transplant in Pakistan is estimated to be up to Rs 4 million. Pakistan Today learnt that Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences is also working to develop a liver transplant centre.
Liver transplant facility available, but few donors
