PKLI Launch ‘Swap Program’ For Organ Trnasplant

Web Desk — Pakistan’s law has been very strict as far as organ transplant is concerned but thanks to the previous PML-N and the incumbent PTI for making the organ transplant law convenient for patients as well as the donors.

This is due to the benefit of the amended law that doctors at the Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute (PKLI) Lahore on Thursday conducted the first-ever liver transplant of three patients under the ‘swap transplant program.’

To stop organ trafficking, the Punjab Human Organ Transplant Authority (P-HOTA) approved the swap transplant plan that allows patients to have organs from unrelated donors (outside blood relations).

A highly-trained team of the PKLI doctors including surgeons headed by PKLI Dean Prof Faisal Dar, chairman & programme director of liver transplant hepatobiliary & pancreatic surgery Dr Ihsanul Haq, consultants Dr Sohail Rashid, Dr Yasir Khan and Dr Siraj Haider conducted the live transplantation successfully.

A representative of the institute confirmed that the operations were successful and all patients had been transferred to intensive care units (ICU). Operation details were kept confidential in accordance with the swap transplant policy.

Is organ donation permissible in Islam?

In the past two decades, Muslim scholars from around the world have discussed the permissibility of organ donation. In Islam, the majority of shariah councils have concluded that organ donation is permissible and even recommended. 

Most of the Muslim scholars belive that the organ donation is permissible only under the following conditions:

1. The transplant must not disrespect human life, which Allah has sanctified. Human bodies should not be used for commercial purposes.
2. Organ transplantation must contribute to righteousness, piety, and pain relief.
3. It is permissible if there are no alternative treatment options to save the patient’s life.
4. The qualified physician must determine that organ transplantation will achieve a certain benefit, will not harm the donor’s health, and will maintain the donor’s functional integrity.
5. Organ trafficking is not allowed.
6. If the donor is alive, or if he is deceased, there must not be any compensation for him or for his heirs.