KARACHI, Jan 21: Dr Amir Haider Tejani, a renowned paediatric nephrologist affiliated with the Westchester Medical Centre, New York, died recently of a heart attack. He was widely known for founding and leading the North American Paediatric Renal Transplant Cooperative Study, which advanced the progress of organ transplantation in children in the past two decades.

Though he was working in the United States, Dr Tejani was a sincere friend of his colleagues in Pakistan.

He was a source of a big support and encouragement to the Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation, Karachi. Paediatric transplantation is still in its infancy in Pakistan and Prof Adib Rizvi, director of the SIUT, derived much inspiration and guidance from Prof Tejani to make the dream of paediatric transplantation in Pakistan come true.

Prof Tejani visited the SIUT a number of times and was a staunch supporter of the underlying philosophy of the institute, which seeks to foster a government-community partnership for the benefit of ailing humanity.

Being an international figure, Prof Tejani spoke on this rare relationship at many forums of organ transplantation. This brought international renown to the SIUT. As a result many senior and experienced transplant surgeons visited Pakistan and the institute. It played host to a large number of seminars, workshops and conferences, which proved to be an educational forum for a number of doctors all over the country.

Prof Tejani will be greatly missed by all his fellow professionals, specially his colleagues in the field of transplantation and paediatric nephrology in Pakistan.

The SIUT director and his colleagues have condoled the death of Dr Tejani, regarded as a great friend and supporter of the institute.