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Health institutions to be punished for organ trade: minister

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: Health Minister Ejaz Rahim on Tuesday said action would be taken against hospitals and other health institutions, if found involved in illegal organ trade.

The minister was speaking at the fourth meeting of the Monitoring Authority for Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues, said a press release.

“Recognition of hospitals and health institutions will be withdrawn if they were found involved in illegal practices (trade of human organs). Further punitive action will be taken against them in accordance with law,” it said.

The minister pressed on the need for official identification of transplantation units. It was decided that the government would recognize only those transplant units that had a full time nephrologists. The press statement said the meeting reiterated that donation of organs would be allowed only by blood relatives of potential donors.

It pointed out that distant relatives could be allowed donation of organs to a patient if they had documentary proof that parents, children of spouse of the patient were unfit to donate an organ.

Evaluation committee of a recognized hospital could allow or disallow such donations in the light of the documentary proof. The meeting decided to set up three sub committees to draft protocol rules for liver, corneal and stem cell transplantations.

Health Secretary Khushnood Akhtar Lashari, Administrator Human Organ Transplant Authority Administrator AK Usmani, Profs Muhammad Umar, Shad Mohammad and others attended the meeting.

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