Shifa suspends organ transplant programme

Islamabad : Shifa International Hospital has voluntarily suspended its Organ Transplant Programme with effect from September 13, 2018, says a press release.

The spokesman for the hospital stated that a family fraudulently presented another person as their son, who underwent donor surgery on part of his liver to donate to the father of the family.

All along, the family maintained that this person is the real son, and he also maintained that he is the son. With the help of an insider from hospital they were able to change the identity documents.

On being alerted, an internal inquiry committee was formed and interviewed all the concerned. Family did confess and confirm their involvement in all of the above, including contacting non related donor, bribing the employee of Shifa and getting documents forged. All these are violations of law. Further inquiries are underway. Regulating Authority HOTA and Law Enforcement Agency have been informed.

The spokesman further said that Organ Transplant Programme at Shifa will remain suspended voluntarily until the completion of inquiry, recommendation of the committee and implementation of its recommendations so that further such incidences can be stopped.

It is pertinent to mention that along with SIUT, Shifa has been instrumental in helping formulation of legislation to control the illegal donor practices.

Shifa takes pride in being pioneer of Liver Transplant in Pakistan and having successfully completed 700 plus liver transplant surgeries with internationally comparable results. Spokesman said that we also realise that it would be inconvenient to the patients who need transplant and are in the process. But we feel that such a decision is in the best interest of safety of organ transplant and to prevent its abuse, all over Pakistan.

We also understand that this incidence is creating doubts on the strength of identification system at Shifa. Nevertheless, we hope and assure our patients that we shall resume the program after review of the whole identification process. With the help of HOTA & NADRA, we will come up with further secure and fool proof system that will ultimately prevent abuse, exploitation and save more lives.