Peace Clinic – Indian doctors to assist Pakistani counterparts in transplant procedures

Kidney transplants are an expensive surgical intervention for patients suffering from renal failure.

Under the programme, titled ‘Peace Clinic’, the two healthcare institutions will work together on cases of patients who are in need of kidney and liver transplants. The diagnosis and screening will be conducted by doctors at Dr.Ziauddin hospital, who will then discuss the case with experts at Apollo Hospitals in India.

For now, the two medical facilities have jointly set up a combined liver ward for pre- and post-transplant care at Dr.Ziauddin hospital. At this facility, the patients will be assessed for their transplant needs and then referred to India for the procedure, if necessary.

The experts also plan to add an internet-based help facility for patients in addition to a telephone helpline.

Speaking at the launching ceremony of the Peace Clinic, Apollo Hospitals Group Medical Director, Dr.Anupam Sibal said, “This programme will not only save money and time for the citizens of Karachi, but will also give them access to better health facilities.” He added that till now, they had received approximately 540 cases of kidney and liver transplantation from Pakistan. “Each year, we receive around 100 to 140 cases from Pakistan.” The success rate of these cases is almost 90 per cent, he said.

Dr.Sibal hoped that through this flagship programme, they would be able to bridge the geographical barriers and provide better health facilities to the people of Pakistan.

The Medical Superintendent of Dr.Ziauddin Hospital, Dr.Anoop Dawani said, “I am proud that Dr.Ziauddin Hospital is the only facility in Pakistan to have taken the initiative to address the transplantation needs of the people of our country”.