Punjab approves skin transplantation guidelines, renews transplant registrations

LAHORE: Several hospitals in Lahore, Rawalpindi and Mianwali have been cleared for corneal and renal transplantation for the next three years after inspections carried out by the Punjab Human Organ Transplantation Authority (PHOTA) and on the recommendations of its executive committee.

The approvals were discussed during a meeting of PHOTA’s monitoring committee, which was chaired by Punjab Specialised Healthcare Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique. During the same meeting, the committee also approved PHOTA guidelines for skin transplantation as well as the establishment of skin banks in Punjab.

The meeting reviewed matters related to transplant services and regulatory arrangements under the authority. The decision means that the approved hospitals in the three cities will be allowed to continue corneal and renal transplantation services for the next three years under the authority’s framework.

In addition to these approvals, a hospital in Lahore was granted provisional registration for bone marrow transplantation for the next three years.

Paperless system proposal reviewed

The committee also considered proposals aimed at making the authority paperless.

The developments come as PHOTA continues to oversee transplantation-related regulation in Punjab, including inspections, registrations and policy matters linked to organ and tissue transplantation.

Warning against illegal transplantation

PHOTA Director General Professor Aamir Zaman Khan also spoke on enforcement during the proceedings. He said those involved in illegal transplantation did not deserve any leniency and that those involved in illegal transplantation did not deserve any leniency.

The meeting brought together regulatory and administrative issues concerning transplantation services in the province, including approvals for hospitals, new guidelines for skin transplantation, plans for skin banks and proposals for digitising the authority’s processes.

The approvals for corneal and renal transplantation followed inspections by PHOTA and recommendations from its executive committee, while the monitoring committee formally took up the matters under the chairmanship of the provincial specialised healthcare minister.