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Lahore, Provincial Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique inaugurated the inaugural two-day International Pakistani Association of Transplantation Conference, organized by the Punjab Human Organ Transplantation Authority at the Punjab Institute of Neurosciences. This landmark event marks a significant step in advancing organ transplantation capabilities and healthcare policies in Pakistan.
According to Directorate General Public Relation – Govt of Punjab, the conference brought together leading national and international experts in organ transplantation, including DG Punjab Human Organ Transplantation Authority Prof. Dr. Shahzad Anwar, and key figures from medical and healthcare institutions across the region. The event focused on discussions surrounding the successes and ongoing challenges in kidney and liver transplantation in Pakistan, emphasizing the need for a structured organ donation registry and enhanced medical training.
Minister Rafique highlighted the achievements under the Muslim League (N) administration, crediting former leader Mian Shehbaz Sharif with the establishment of the Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute and efforts to reduce the incidence of dengue. He stressed the importance of continuing to develop local medical facilities to reduce the need for patients to seek treatments abroad.
Furthermore, the conference addressed the rapid increase in kidney and liver diseases in Pakistan, with calls to improve lifestyle choices and healthcare policies. Prof. Dr. Faisal Saud Dar from the Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute underscored the urgent need to lessen the burden of these diseases, while Prof. Dr. Sardar Zafar Al Farid from General Hospital Lahore advocated for the creation of a national registry for organ donation to streamline transplantation processes.
The event also served as an occasion to recognize the contributions of various professionals in the field, with Minister Rafique distributing commemorative shields and gifts to the international experts attending.