KARACHI, Nov 26: The World Health Organization would support any genuine effort for the establishment of a Trans-Boundary Organ Retrieval Banking Organization in South Asia, provided all ethical and relevant medical criterion are adequately met.

This was stated at a press conference held here on Saturday to divulge details regarding the ongoing meeting of the Eastern Mediterranean Region on Regional Consultation on Cell and Organ Transplantation organized by WHO and hosted by the Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (SIUT) at its Hamida Suleman Dawood Oncology Centre.

Experts urged media to create public awareness and sensitize policy-makers about the extremely crucial issue. People should realize that positive promotion of an organ donation culture in the region, that includes Pakistan, could offer a chance for survival of the people of all age groups.

Dr Luc Noel, Coordinator in Clinical Procedures at the WHO headquarters, Dr Nabila Metwali, Dr Bhatia, Dr Jain, Dr Adib Rizvi, Dr Ghulam Nabi Kazi, and Dr Khursheed Anwar responded to queries raised by journalists.

The journalists were also informed that WHO, in the right perspective of things and significance of organ transplantation was in close contact with the Pakistan government to introduce the much warranted cadaver organ donation law.

This was said to be extremely relevant as Pakistan was experiencing no less than 25,000 deaths in its urban centres alone owing to renal failure each year in the absence of the law. Data related to rural areas were stated to be not available.

Legislation for cadaver organ donation is crucial in paving the way for maximum transplantations and ultimately a new lease of life to the needy patients, it was stressed.

The transplantation may not be restricted only to kidney, but other organs could also be covered under the legislation like cornea, liver, etc.—APP