Lives of around 132 patients on waiting lists for liver transplants in Shaikh Zaid Hospital’s Liver Transplantation Unit (LTU) are at stake due to the non-provision of Rs 3.5 million to make the unit operative, sources informed APP.
Around 1.2 million patients in the country need liver transplantation, while over 150 patients were on the waiting list at the liver transplant unit some three months back. The non-availability of the required facilities including an operation theatre, CT scan, high dependency units and at least six medical officers for back up treatment in the ward after transplantation had caused 18 patients, including men and women on waiting list to expire during the past three months.
Only a ten-bed ward is available for patients who need transplantation. Only two surgeons are working in the department including Associate Prof Dr Tariq Bangash and Prof Dr Amir Latif, while four surgeons are required.
All the required facilities can be obtained in just Rs 3.5 million, APP learnt.
On the other hand, Rs 976.373 million are being spent on the construction of a second storey for the building, but patients in the liver transplantation unit are suffering due to the withholding of a meager amount.
This unit was inaugurated by the Punjab chief minister on Feb 25, in the Kidney Center of Shaikh Zaid Hospital (SZH), but due to lack of facilities it did not become properly operational since its inauguration.
On an experimental basis, some successful liver transplantation had been conducted by sharing the operation theatre of cardiac surgery.
At the inauguration of the unit in February, the chief minister announced provision of equipment to the unit, and directed the Parliamentary Secretary of the Punjab Assembly, Dr Saeed Elahi to resolve the matter within 15 days, but nothing was done practically, despite holding many meetings with staff of the unit.
