LAHORE: The Supreme Court summoned on Saturday the Punjab health minister, the health secretary and other officials to apprise it about pediatric liver transplant at the Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute (PKLI).

The two-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, heard the case regarding the possibility of the first pediatric liver transplant at the institute established by former chief minister Shahbaz Sharif.

Prof Jawad Sajid said the institute was ready to execute one or two adult liver transplant surgeries but regular adult surgeries could not start before June 2019.

The professor said operation theatre, intensive care unit and imaging section were fully equipped but the institute lacked specialised surgeons and the staff.

Justice Nisar observed that it was very unfortunate that even after 72 years of creation of Pakistan, we were unable to set up a single hospital for children’s liver transplant.

He said the previous government constructed the Orange Line Metro Train instead of focusing on health facilities for the masses in general and children in particular.

“And the Supreme Court had to take cognizance to ensure completion of OLMT as the incumbent government is unable to do it,” said the chief justice.

An additional health secretary said the government would cooperate with the PKLI administration and arrange all possible equipment and staff to carry out the first ever pediatric liver surgery.

The chief justice said the PKLI was being run unlawfully under a trust and the government had done nothing to legalize it. The additional secretary said a law had been drafted and sent to the law ministry for its vetting.

Dr Huma Arshad Cheema of the Children’s Hospital said it was impossible to engage pediatric surgeons and supporting staff every time from outside Pakistan. She said the government would have to train local surgeons.

The chief justice directed the health minister and others to furnish a plan regarding pediatric liver surgery at PKLI by Jan 6.

Published in Dawn, December 30th, 2018