Pakistani patients coming to India for treatment of different ailments are facing heavy odds as two women died within a span of ten days under difficult situation who came here for liver transplant surgeries. Besides seeking treating for other diseases, the Pakistani patients in large numbers come to India for liver transplant due to lack of such facility at home.
They faced hardships with regard to obtaining Indian visas, transfer of huge money for meeting various expenditures, travelling and long stays along with their attendants in hotels or flats.
The death of two women Bhushra Raqib (49) and Sheran Begum (48) recently and heavy amount being spent on such surgeries necessitated the need to set up liver transplant centres in Pakistan on urgent basis to catering the need of thousnads of Pakistanis facing liver-related ailments including liver cirrhosis which demand transplant surgery available only in India, China, Malaysia and Singapore in the surrounding countries. Bushra Raqib expired before the surgery while Sheran Begum died after the liver transplant surgery.
In India, the expenditure on liver transplant surgery ranges between Rs seventy and eighty lacs as Rs 32 lacs are required for payment for the surgery only in addition to costly tests, post-surgery examination and stay of donors and attendants.
The Pakistani patients generally approach two hospitals in Delhi-Ganga Ram and Apollo for liver transplant. About 100 Pakistanis undergo liver transplant surgeries every year in these two hospitals. When contacted Surgeon Subash Gupta of Apollo hospital told APP that he conducted liver transplant surgeries to 46 Pakistanis during the last one year.
He informed that the liver transplant surgery was not so complicated and he was ready to impart training to Pakistani doctors in this field. When contacted, Pakistani patients in both the centres said there was urgent need to set up liver transplant units in Pakistan, as Pakistani patients cannot afford such a huge amount required for such surgery. They said Pakistanis spend about Rs 800 million in India every year for liver transplant surgery. Such an amount can be spent for establishing units at home, they observed.
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