A regulatory system would be evolved to control illegal human organs transplantation

Lahore : A regulatory system would be evolved to control illegal human organs transplantation and to award exemplary punishment to the elements found involved in such inhuman activities. Monitoring and Evaluation committees headed by the DCO of the concerned district would be constituted for the monitoring of such hospitals as are providing the facility of human organs transplantation.

A professor of Medical College and the EDO Health, would also be the member of the committee. Monitoring and Evaluation committee would carry out surprise checks of these hospitals and send their reports to the Punjab Human Organs Transplant Authority (PHOTA). Necessary legislation would also be made for this purpose.

A decision to this effect was  taken in a meeting chaired by Secretary Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Department Najam Ahmad Shah which was attended among others by Vice Chancellor King Edward Medical University Prof. Faisal Masood, Special Secretary Health Dr. Sajid Mahmood Chohan, Member Health Planning and Development Department Dr. Shabana Haider, Additional Secretary Development (Health) Zaheer Abbas Malik, Health Specialist of P&D and the officers of Finance Department.

During the inspection of the hospital to be kept under vigilance by the Monitoring and Evaluation committees, it would be verified that qualified surgeons and human resources are available in the hospital moreover the transplantation of the same patient has been carried out which the PHOTA has given permission for. It will be mandatory for the hospital to provide photographs of the donors and the recipients and video recording of the operation to PHOTA for verification.

Moreover, before discharging the patient and the donor, post operative medical checkup must be performed. The meeting decided that a reward of one million rupees would be granted to the person who inform the PHOTA regarding illegal human transplant activity and his name would be kept confidential. For this purpose a hotline would also be installed.

It is proposed that Rs. 50 million fine will be imposed on the hospital which will be found involved in any illegal transplantation activities. Punjab Government would fully empower and strengthen the PHOTA and for this purpose proper legislation would also be carried out.