Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues (Amendment) Act, 2023 notified

ISLAMABAD: The government has notified the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues (Amendment) Act, 2023, which was passed in the joint session of the Parliament on May 15, 2023.

The “Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues (Amendment) Bill, 2021” was passed by the National Assembly but could not sail through the Upper House following which National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf on April 14, 2023, forwarded it to the joint sitting of the Parliament.

After the notification, now people in Pakistan can legally donate their livers, kidneys, pancreas, and hearts, which will end exploitation.

The Parliament in its joint sitting held on May 15 passed the bill which on June 21 was sent to the Printing Press of Pakistan to be notified as an act of Parliament which will enable the people get organs of deceased people, who died in accidents or were declared brain dead.

According to official documents available with Business Recorder, the president of Pakistan has signed the act into law on June 20, 2023.

As per the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act (Amendment) Act, 2023, at the time of issuing a driving licence relevant authorities shall include a section in the application form asking the applicant, if they agree to donate their organs and tissues in case of their accidental death.

It states that whoever applies for a driving licence may “opt to have their organs or tissues transplanted to any person in need of such human organs or tissues in case of accidental death of the signatory” and that these will be “removed by the nearest authorised medical institution or hospital duly recognised by the monitoring authority.”

It further added that relevant authorities, including those in the field of public health must make the public aware of the importance of organ donation “for the welfare of humanity from different scientific and religious aspects.”

The development comes as illegal organ transplants remains an issue in the country as annually hundreds of people in the country owing to various reasons most importantly poverty are selling their organs to local and international buyers at Rs 50,000 to Rs 500,000.

During the Parliamentary discussion on the subject, it was revealed that in Pakistan people are avoiding organs donations owing to religious beliefs and the lack of knowledge about laws.

The Parliamentary discussion had stressed for the need of creating mass awareness and promoting a culture of organ donation in the country aiming at addressing the shortage of organ donors and improve the state of therapeutic organ transplantation in the country.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023