KARACHI: Lack of funds hits transplant plan at NICH
KARACHI, March 3: The inability of the Pakistan Zakat Foundation to release the committed amount of Rs6.802 million as matching grant to the Child Aid Association, the National Institute of Child Health (NICH), has delayed the inception of the bone-marrow transplantation procedure at the country’s biggest hospital for children
President of the Child Aid Association, Dr Nizam ul Hasan, told APP that despite the arrangement for qualified and trained expertise and the erection of a structure with relevant lab facilities within NICH premises, lack of adequate funds to procure some major and necessary gadgets had frustrated the efforts.
According to him the National Zakat Foundation, which in June 2000 had committed itself to providing Rs6.8012 million as matching grant, could release a mere sum of Rs36 lac, 71 thousand and 610 only and that too in two instalments, while the remaining sum appeared stalled since the amalgamation of the Zakat Foundation and the Baitul Ma’al in the year 2001.
“The Child Aid Association, ever since it entered into agreement with the Zakat Foundation, has procured equipments worth Rs3900,000 till date, which exceeds its agreed share,” Dr Nizam ul Hasan said.
He said that the flow psychrometer, some microscopes and the DNA thermal cycler had already been purchased and added that money was required to arrange for cognation analyzer, micro-amatoproctic machine and a few other gadgets.
Pointing out that each BMT procedure on children up to 13 to 14 years of age required a minimum expenditure of 700,000, Dr Nizam said efforts were being made not only to ensure maximum success of the BMT procedure but also to improve the survival rate of patients through the curtailment of infection chances.
In this context he mentioned ongoing modification in the air-conditioning system of the already constructed BMT unit’s isolation ward (at NICH), to ensure bacteria- free air.
The Child Aid Association meanwhile is also attempting to provide filtered water to the entire unit against an estimated expenditure of Rs100,000 .
A few months back the Association had also launched an infection control programme at the NICH in general which appeared to be producing positive results with a considerable decline in contamination cases at the hospital.
According to Dr. Nizam ul Hasan apart from the above peripheral prerequisite for any transplantation programme, a blood bank has also been established at NICH, which though is well equipped, but since it caters a small segment there is at present lack of enough blood provision required for BMT procedure.
“We intend to launch a campaign for voluntary blood donation as the ever-increasing number of child cancer patients has made it necessary the improved blood provision,” he said.
To a query regarding the accessibility to well-qualified and specially trained paramedical staff, the senior doctor regretted the lack of commitment in general on the part of relevant personnel.
Dr Nizam, however, mentioned that a British NGO, the British Executive Service Overseas (BESO), in the next few days would be sending a seasoned nursing tutor to train paramedics working at the NICH oncology ward. These staffers also include those hired by the Child Aid Association.
“A little cooperation on the part of the government as well as local philanthropists can help to put the BMT unit in full operation, saving precious lives,” the president of the Child Aid Association said.—APP
