SZH performed over 100 liver transplantations since its inception

LAHORE: The Liver Transplant Unit at the Kidney Centre of Sheikh Zayed Hospital has performed over 100 liver transplantations since its inception, while over three lakh patients of liver diseases still need a liver transplant in the country. These views were expressed by the head of Project of Liver Transplant Unit of Kidney Centre Prof Amir Latif in an exclusive talk with APP on Sunday. Appreciating the Health Department for allocating huge funds for the purpose, he said that the centre would soon be able to perform 40 transplantations per month. He said that it was for the first time in public sector that transplantation was being performed in just Rs 3.5 million, which is the lowest cost. Responding to a question, he said that the survival ratio was 85 percent after the liver transplantation, while the survival period may prolong up to even 20 years. He said that liver diseases have been on the increase in the country, the kidney of a donor could be transplanted to two persons, “The liver can be donated to two persons as 30 percent is enough for a healthy body. A person can donate his 50 percent of the liver,” he added. He said that lungs and hearts could also be donated to an ailing person. “According to the Cadaver Human Tissue Ordinance 2009 and its passage in the form of an act in the 18th Amendment, now it is a legal practice to transplant donated organs,” he said. “There is an urgent need to motivate people to donate their organs in larger interest of ailing humanity,” he added.