KARACHI: Despite the fact that about 150,000 people die every day due to organ failure in Pakistan, only five lives have been saved by deceased organ donations in the country, said director of the Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (SIUT), Dr Adibul Hasan Rizvi.

Addressing the 45th batch of volunteers at the concluding ceremony of the training programme at SIUT on Saturday, Dr Rizvi emphasised the growing need for volunteerism and social effort to bring about a positive change in society. “The programme is geared to educate students about the disparities of the underprivileged population of the country and to help equip them with first aid and basic medical care training,” he said.

Urging all segments of society to promote the concept of deceased organ donation, he said that organ transplant guaranteed a new lease of life to those who were battling to survive due to organ failures. “Pakistan happens to be the only country in the Islamic world which is lagging behind in organ donation,” he said.

Abdul Sattar Edhi was amongst the first of the 2,000 donors registered at SIUT who pledged their organs after death, Dr Rizvi told Dawn. “The problem is not to find a cure to a disease but affordability of the cure,” he stressed, adding that despite technological advancement in medical sciences, people were dying as the treatment was not within their means.

The batch comprising 250 students were trained for six weeks and were informed about the guidelines of patient medical care in the field of radiology, clinical laboratory, nephrology, urology, dialysis, transplantation, lithotripsy and other medical, surgical and allied services.

“We cannot let people die just because they cannot afford to live,” said Adraish Ali, a volunteer, quoting Dr Rizvi in her speech.

“One day my son came home from the training and asked me what was my purpose in life. It was his reply to my answer that left me speechless,” said Amjad, father of a 15-year-old sharing an anecdote with Dawn. “Everyone goes to school, makes a living. But the real purpose of life is to help others,” he said, quoting his son’s reply.

Talking about the impact of community services on students, Rubina, a 10th grade teacher said: “The role of education is to raise students as better human beings. Surprisingly, there is an increasing lack of empathy in the privileged literate class than the underprivileged.”

The students were awarded certificates and a first aid box for their volunteer services at SIUT. The concluding ceremony was attended by a large number of teachers, students and their parents.

Published in Dawn, January 2nd, 2017