NA passes law to ban body organs 'donation' to foreigners

[Naveed Yaseen]

NA passes Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues bill: Citizens barred from donating body organs to foreigners

* Human Organ Transplant Authority set up to monitor transplantation, enforce prescribed standards, probe violations

By Irfan Ghauri

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly (NA) on Thursday unanimously passed the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act 2009, banning citizens from donating body organs to foreigners. The legislation also bans the removal of any human organ except for treatment.

Those involved in trafficking human organs could be punished with up to 10 years in jail and a fine of up to Rs 1 million.

Institutions and hospitals involved in removing human organs without legal authority would face the same punishment. The government would suspend the registration of doctors for three years for a first offence and permanently for repeated offences.

The legislation was among the ordinances which were referred to parliament by the Supreme Court for legislation in its July 31 verdict. Earlier, the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Ordinance 2007 was enforced on November 3, 2007.

Monitor surgery: The bill referred to the setting up of the Human Organ Transplant Authority, headed by the health minister, to monitor transplantation and enforce prescribed standards for recognised medical institutions and hospitals. The authority would also act as a supreme body to probe into alleged breaches of any provision of the act, in addition to its routine business.

Under the act, transplantation of human organs would only be carried out by competent professionals working with recognised institutions after certification from an evaluation committee in each case.

According to the legislation, living donors not less than 18 years of age, would be allowed to donate any organ or tissue to any other genetically and legally related person. Those people, who wanted to donate an organ or tissue after death will have to authorise a medical institution or hospital, duly approved by the monitoring authority, in their will. Before the removal of any organ for transplantation, the certificate from an evaluation committee would be required.

All political parties and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani hailed Dr Adeeb Rizvi’s efforts and he was especially invited to witness the NA proceedings from the speaker’s gallery.

In recognition of Dr Rizvi’s philanthropic services in the field of kidney transplants, the House passed the bill after suspending the rules of business.

Three ordinances including the Alternative Energy Development Board Ordinance 2007, the Dawood College of Engineering and Technology Ordinance 2007 and the Pakistan Army (Amendment) Ordinance 2007 were also tabled in the House and referred to the standing committees concerned.

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