Prof Adibul Hasan Rizvi of the Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation said the rate of renal failure in the country was on the rise. He stated this as chief guest at the third national conference of the Pakistan Association of Urological Surgeons.
The acclaimed surgeon said more than 7,000 Pakistanis every year required kidney transplantation. “However, only about 700 actually get the kidneys needed for the operation mentioned,” he said.
He was of the view that every general hospital in the country, be it in the public or private sector, should have a separate urology ward where urological complications could be dealt with properly.
Prof Rizvi called upon the government and philanthropists to extend cooperation to urologists in this regard. The 40 per cent of the Pakistanis who lived below the poverty line looked towards the elite for assistance.
He said the discipline of urology was making giant strides. This placed additional responsibilities on Pakistani doctors as they were required more than ever to keep abreast of the latest developments.
Prof Masood Sheikh, chief of the Pakistan Association of Urological Surgeons, on the occasion said the areas comprising Pakistan fell on a ‘stone belt’ which was one reason why incidence of stone formation in the body was very high.
Describing the aims of his association, he said it was busy in collecting data pertaining to disease patterns. The association was also involved in shaping the educational and clinical programmes.
Prof Sheikh called for the launching of awareness initiatives through which the common people could be informed of the reasons for high incidence of stone formation in the country.
“The aim of this exercise should be to equip common people with information so that the diseases are spotted and treated early.”
He appealed to the government as well as philanthropists for helping the urological surgeons in combating renal failure. The association wanted to buy mobile units for which it needed funds.
“These mobile units are proposed to be equipped with ultrasound and urine screening machines.”
Prof Sheikh said every person should take sufficient amount of fluids to be able to pass between two and two-and-a-half litres of urine every day. “If most Pakistanis ensure this the incidence of the disease regularly reported will decrease considerably.”
Dr Amanullah Memon, chairman of the organizing committee, described the topics of the important papers to be presented during the course of the two-day event. He said issues from the educational side as well as clinical area would be dealt with.
Prof Anwer Naqvi of the SIUT told Dawn that despite sustained efforts the law on cadaver donations had still not been adopted by the legislature.
“Two readings have been done in the Senate so far.But we are still some distance away from our destination.”
He said the issue was a very important one and the participants of the conference would hold a special press briefing on the subject on Sunday.