The Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) Karachi has initiated the process of free liver transplants for marginalized patients as the Sindh government gave a grant of Rs 145 million to conduct some 50 surgeries.
“We have started performing free-of-charge liver transplant surgeries of needy and deserving patients who couldn’t afford this costly procedure after the Sindh government provided us with Rs 145 million to conduct around 50 transplants at the provincial government’s expense,” DUHS Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr. Saeed Quraishy informed the media.
Gastroenterologist Dr. Saad Khalid Niaz proved to be a key person in convincing the provincial government the provision of the funds to the university to perform free liver transplants, government officials said.
Moreover, officials updated that they are providing funds to the DUHS for liver along with bone marrow transplants.
Dr. Quraishy told the media persons that almost 50 liver transplants have been executed at the university under the guidance of liver transplant surgeon Dr. Faisal Saud Dar, head of the Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute & Research Institute Lahore.
Read more: Patients from KP to get free kidney and liver transplant facility
“In addition to 50 liver transplants, our BMT [bone marrow transplant] surgeons have performed 24 or 25 bone marrow transplants, for which funds were provided by the provincial government.”
The VC further added that besides liver and bone marrow transplant surgeries, surgeons at the university had also performed around 500 renal surgeries, updating that the payments of some of these surgeries were also upheld by the provincial government.
Furthermore, Dr. Quraishy revealed, “Our team of liver transplant surgeons comprises lead surgeon Dr. Jahanzeb Haider, Dr. Kiran Naz, Dr. Muhammad Iqbal, and three others. This is a highly trained and skilled team of youngsters who are performing liver transplant surgeries with the utmost sophistication.”
Dr. Niaz, member of the DUHS Syndicate and coordinator for the Liver Transplant Unit, thanked the chief minister for providing a grant of Rs 145 million to the university.
“Around 8,000 patients need liver transplant surgeries due to liver failure or liver cancer annually in Pakistan. Most of these patients can’t afford the costly treatment. Because of the Sindh government’s program, patients can now avail the facility of liver transplants free of charge in Karachi too.”
