News
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Edhi needs kidney donationKARACHI: Abdul Sattar Edhi, the legendary figure of the country known for his services to the humanity, who has been diagnosed with renal failure, is in need of a kidney donation.
Speaking to media personnel at Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (SIUT) on Tuesday, Edhi urged the masses to strengthen the cadaveric organ donation culture in the country. Prof Adibul Hasan Rizvi, the head of doctors’ team looking after Edhi, said there was no urgency, however, his distinguished patient would at one point of time or other will need kidney transplantation.
“Presently he is undergoing dialysis once weekly or fortnightly in accordance with his need,” said the pioneer of organ transplantation in the country.
Surgeon Rizvi said the cadaveric organ donation law that was adopted, almost unanimously, by the past parliament and already endorsed by different schools of religious thoughts is needed to be comprehended and promoted by our society in general.
Edhi told journalists that he was fully conscious of his health status and is indebted to his doctors who have helped him to continue with his routine life.
Abdul Sattar Edhi’s organisation Edhi Foundation runs the world’s largest ambulance service and operates free nursing homes, orphanages, clinics, women’s shelters, and rehab centres for drug addicts and mentally ill individuals.
Moreover, the social worker also carried out relief operations in Africa, Middle East, the Caucasus region, Eastern Europe and US where it provided aid following the New Orleans hurricane of 2005. “I would need to undergo transplantation,” he said and urged masses to realise that cadaveric (posthumous) organ donation can help many of the people suffering from organ failure.
Prof Adibul Hasan Rizvi said family members of Edhi were more than willing to donate their kidney, however, since there is no emergency situation and therefore his team could wait for the cadaveric donation.
He said patients declared brain dead could be the potential cadaveric donors and each of them can save no less than 70 lives. “As per conservative estimates 35,000 people in our cities are dying of renal failure in want of one or the other organ donation,” said the transplant surgeon.
The need of rural population is not known, said Prof Rizvi mentioning that kidney transplantation has been performed very successfully at SIUT since 1985. “Although majority comprised living donors, mainly close relatives, however, a few families also complied with the will of their deceased relatives, including a son and daughter - donating their organs to people in need at SIUT,” he said. agencies
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk