ISLAMABAD, Aug 3: The Transplantation Society of Pakistan on Friday welcomed the approval of the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Ordinance 2007 by the federal cabinet, which had been pending for 15 years.

Dr Adib Rizvi, president-elect of the society, thanked Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and his cabinet members for taking keen interest in the approval of the ordinance to help all those unfortunate people who needed organ transplantation but would do so only under a transparent regulatory regime and not at the cost of poor donors.

Dr Rizvi also appreciated prime minister’s assertion that the process of transplantation of human organs had to be regulated to eliminate exploitation of the poor and helpless.

He expressed his confidence in the inter-ministerial committee — comprising Sharifuddin Pirzada, advisor to prime minister; Nasir Khan, health minister; Wasi Zafar, law minister and Babar Ghouri, minister for ports and shipping — which has been assigned the task of fine tuning the text of the draft law.

Suggesting recognition of living donors for their supreme act of altruism, he said, they should be provided with health insurance and given preference for employment by the government. This, he believed, will promote organ donation from family members.

He further emphasised that the proposed fund to be established by the government for the indigent patients should be used for their post transplant care and medicines only.