Around 300, 000 patients of liver diseases need liver transplant due to which cadaver donation has become the need of the hour as one dead person can save the lives of six living persons by donating his organs, including the heart, liver, kidneys and lungs, Associate Prof Dr Amir Latif of the liver transplantation unit of Kidney Center of the Shaikh Zaid Hospital (SZH) said on Sunday.
He said the kidney of a donor could be used by two persons.
“The liver can be donated to two persons as one-third of the liver is enough for a health body. Even a living person can donate 50 percent of his liver,” he added.
He said the lungs and hearts could also be donated to an ill person.
“According to the Cadaver Human Tissue Ordinance 2009 and its passage in form of an act in the 18th Amendment, it is legal to transplant donated organs,” he said.
When asked what impedes performing cadaver transplantation, he said lack of public awareness and non-implementation of law along with shortage of medical facilities were the main reasons.
Prof Amir Latif was of his view that through cadaver donation, around 150 transplantations could be performed every year.
“There is an urgent need to motivate people to donate their organs in the larger interest of the ailing humanity,” he added.
He said cadaver donation has started in Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Iran, whereas, in most of the European countries and it was mandatory to donate organs after death.
