Participants at the WHO organised meeting for the Eastern Mediterranean and South East Asian Regional Consultation on Cell and Organ Transplantation observed that necessary legislation was prerequisite to combat the rising trend of organ tourism in the country. Papers presented and data shared at the event held at Hanifia Suleman Dawood Oncology Centre of SIUT established the fact that necessary legislation done in India and other countries in the two regions had enhanced vulnerability of Pakistan to the heinous practice of organ trade.
Co-ordinator WHO, Dr Luc Noel talking to journalists following a press conference referred to the 57th World Health Assembly's resolution that focussed on Human organs and tissue transplantation emphasising shortage of organs, awareness on safety risks in transplanting allogenic cell tissues and organs.
He mentioned that the strategy of the WHO was to meet the requirements of World Health Assembly Resolution, which included a series of regional meeting between National Health Authorities in charge of cell, tissue and organ transplantation. Special emphasis was given to the safety of live donors and involving Transplantation Society to assist in promoting the Amsterdam consensus statement on live kidney donors.
The meeting also explicitly took up the issues related to prevention of organ trafficking and transplant tourism; improving access to deceased donors, cell and tissue products for transplantation and xenotransplantation, risks associated with xenogeneic transplantation in transmission of infectious agents from animals to human beings.
Experts including WHO Representative to Pakistan, Dr Khalif Bille, Dr Carl Groth a known Surgeon from Sweden, Dr Del Monico (Harvard Medical School), Dr Luc Noel, Dr Rajesh Bhattia (Regional Advisor, WHO -South East Asian Region), Dr Nabila Metawaili, (WHO Advisor for EMRO), Dr Adib-ul-Hasan Rizvi and Dr G.N Kazi responded to queries raised by journalists on conclusion of the two and a half day meeting.