IT is an unfortunate truth that Pakistan is among the few Muslim states where deceased organ donation is yet to gain mainstream acceptance. This is despite the fact that experts and activists have spearheaded campaigns for wider acceptance of this noble cause, while the state and ulema have also been brought on board to convince citizens to sign up for donation. Experts have stated that a single deceased donor can save up to eight lives, but as per available figures, since 1998 less than 10 individuals have donated their organs after death. This is the state of affairs in a country where one person dies of organ failure every three minutes. To raise awareness of this key issue, the Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation organised a walk to the Quaid’s mausoleum in Karachi yesterday.

Indeed, all available means must be employed to raise awareness about deceased organ donation. Along with such walks, seminars and other public events, the state and the media must also come forward to play their roles to create awareness of the need for organ donation. Along with the fact that gifting one’s organs after death would help save many lives in the country, there needs to be a sustained campaign to crack down on illegal organ transplants. Until recently, when action against organ traffickers brought down the incidence of the crime, Pakistan was known in the world as a bazaar of cheap organs and hosted a steady market for transplant tourism, as highlighted in the past by this newspaper. While a law to regulate transplants and prevent commercial transplants exists, its implementation is erratic. As pointed out by SIUT and other bodies of experts, there is a need to establish vigilance committees to check violations of this law. A sustained public awareness campaign — through which lawmakers, ulema, opinion leaders and celebrities can endorse the message — combined with consistent action against illegal transplants in Pakistan, can help save countless lives and bring an end to the racket of transplant tourism.

Published in Dawn, August 6th, 2018