Organ Transplant Center Bhaktapur to expand services

Bhaktapur / January 24: Human Organ Transplant Center Bhaktapur is all set to expand its services with launching of the services for liver and lungs transplant and heart surgery. Currently, the Center provides services for only kidney transplant.

The center was making preparations for the services following the endorsement of the bill designed to carry out amendments to the Human Body Organ Transplant (Regulation and Prohibition) Act, 2055 ( 1988) by the Legislature-Parliament Friday.

At a press meet here today, Center Director Dr Pukarchand Shrestha said the Center which has a successful history of kidney transplants, is starting the services for liver and lung transplants and heart surgery in the near future. The Center has already developed required physical infrastructure and technology for the services. The records at the hospital show that every year some 3,000 suffer renal failure and of them, 90 per cent die for lack of needed treatment– either they can’t afford due to poverty or legal hurdles prevent from getting it.

The amendment to the Act that has allowed the removal of organs (kidneys, lungs, heart, liver, pancreas, small intestine) from the clinically dead people and their transplant to the needy addressed these problems, according to Dr Shrestha. A clinically dead person can save the life of eight people, he said. However, the Act has avoided the role of surgeons involved in organ transplants in announcement of clinical deaths. It has not allowed the removal of body organs from those (clinically dead) if she or he has made a pledge in writing in the past to not donate organs.

The center has been assigned for coordination with the government for the removal of body organs from medically dead, keeping them safe and prioritizing the needy patients.

Besides, the Act has allowed the organ donations from family relatives. RSS