Lahore: The Monitoring Authority of the Punjab Human Organ Transplantation Authority (PHOTA) has approved renewal of registration for the next three years of five healthcare institutions for bone marrow, renal and corneal transplantation.
The approval was granted at the 42nd meeting of the PHOTA Monitoring Authority, held under the chairmanship of Provincial Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique on Friday. PHOTA Director General Prof Dr Muhammad Aamir Zaman Khan presented various agenda items, while the meeting also approved the minutes of its 41st meeting and reviewed implementation of its decisions.
Based on PHOTA inspections and recommendations of the Executive Committee, the meeting approved renewal of registration of the Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute and Research Centre (PKLI), Lahore, for bone marrow transplantation; Sheikh Zayed Hospital, Lahore, Jinnah Memorial Hospital, Rawalpindi, and Farooq Hospital, Rawalpindi, for renal transplantation; and Eye Consultants Clinic, Rawalpindi, for corneal transplantation.
The meeting also approved the conduct of training sessions by PHOTA for capacity building in deceased organ donation and transplantation. Various proposals for shifting PHOTA towards a paperless system were also considered.
Khawaja Salman Rafique said the capacity of PHOTA was being enhanced in line with the vision of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif to provide the best healthcare facilities to the public. He said strict action was being taken against illegal human organ transplantation in Punjab, while thousands of lives were being saved through the authority.
Prof Dr Muhammad Aamir Zaman Khan said PHOTA was being modernized in accordance with the Punjab government’s vision. He stressed that those involved in illegal human organ transplantation in Punjab would not be shown any leniency.
The meeting was attended by Additional Secretary (Technical) Dr Hafiz Muhammad Waseem, Pakistan Medical Association President Dr Izhar Ahmed Chaudhry, Ophthalmological Society of Pakistan Lahore Chapter President Prof Javed Chaudhry, National Health Research Complex Senior Research Officer Saima Naz Mohsin, Additional Secretary Home Department Abdul Rauf and other members.
PKLI Dean Prof Faisal Saud Dar, Dr Arif Nadeem and Dr Muhammad Yasir Khan, representing The Transplantation Society, participated in the meeting via video link.