Cost of liver transplant in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Currently liver transplant is being performed by three different Public and Private Hospitals within the jurisdiction of Human Organ Transplant Authority (HOTA) Islamabad as after the 18th Constitutional amendment, the domain of Federal HOTA was curtailed to the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) only, the National Assembly was informed on December 9.

In a written reply submitted in the House, the Minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination told that three hospitals including Army Liver Transplant Unit (ALTU) at Military Hospital Rawalpindi, Shifa International Hospital Islamabad, and Quaid-e-Azam International Hospital Islamabad are performing liver transplant.

The minister told that these hospitals comprise of health-care professionals and experts having the best liver transplant facilities in Pakistan, and the cost for liver transplant there is approximately Rs 5 million.

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The House was apprised that as per the information gathered from the Sindh Institute of Urology & Transplant (SIUT), a Charitable Institute, liver transplant is done free of cost.

Whereas as per the information gathered from Punjab HOTA Lahore, following two public entities are registered for liver transplant surgery:

• Shaikh Zayed Medical Complex Lahore costing Rs 3.5 to 04 million but for deserving patients, finances are being provided from the Punjab government through the Chief Minister’s Secretariat Punjab.
• Pakistan Kidney & Liver Institute (PKLI) Lahore has done three liver transplant surgeries till now free of cost.