Sukkur: A 10-year-old girl from Peshawar has successfully undergone a living donor liver transplant at the Gambat Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS), giving her a new lease on life after a decade-long battle with a rare genetic disease.
Aiza, a second-class student from Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, was a known case of Glycogen Storage Disease Type IX, a rare inherited disorder diagnosed at birth. According to the family, they managed her condition for 10 years with great care despite complications like hypoglycemia and stunted growth.
Her condition deteriorated over the last two months when she developed severe, unbearable abdominal pain due to hepatomegaly and capsular stretch. After seeking treatment at various hospitals across the country without a definitive cure, the family was referred to the Liver Transplant and HPB Surgery Department at GIMS Gambat.
After detailed evaluation by the Pediatric Liver Transplant team of GIMS Gambat, liver transplantation was advised as the only curative treatment. Her mother was found to be a matching donor. Following a complete workup including MRI, CT scans and other investigations, Aiza underwent a successful Living Donor Liver Transplant on September 5, 2026.
She remained under specialized post-transplant care in the Intensive Care Unit for 18 days, where strict infection control protocols were ensured by the ICU staff.
Doctors said the girl is now recovering well, with normal follow-ups and improving laboratory reports. Her mother, Habiba Younis, expressed deep gratitude to the institute. “We are deeply thankful to Allah, then to this hospital, to Dr Raheem Bux Bhatti and his entire team who took such great care of our daughter. And special thanks to the Sindh Government for making this highly expensive transplant completely free,” she said.
Hospital Spokesperson Jameel Hyder said the case is part of GIMS’s mission to provide world-class, 100 percent free-of-cost liver transplant services. So far, the institute has successfully completed 85 pediatric liver transplants as part of its 1500 plus Living Donor Liver Transplant Program.
Officials added that with continued support from the Sindh Government, the Department of Liver Transplant and HPB Surgery is committed to further expanding pediatric transplant services.