Lack of free kidney transplant facility leaves Punjab’s hapless patients struggling

Over 4,000 kidney patients are currently waiting for transplants in the Punjab province with limited hope due to inadequate facilities and high costs, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Friday. 

Patients suffering from kidney disease in Punjab have to put up with harrowing experiences just to stay alive. The people afflicted with renal failure have only one option: to undergo continuous dialysis.

Among government teaching hospitals, only Jinnah Hospital is offering kidney transplant services, leaving a significant gap in healthcare access for underprivileged patients.

According to sources, the specialized healthcare department has effectively ended the only option for free kidney transplants in the province, further exacerbating the situation. This leaves Punjab’s hapless patients without access to critical and life-saving procedures.

According to official data, over 36,000 patients in Punjab rely on dialysis, and 26,000 of them qualify for kidney transplants. 

Out of these, 4,000 patients have identified donors ready to proceed with the transplant. 

However, private hospitals charge up to 2.5 million PKR per transplant, a cost that 95% of the waiting patients cannot afford.

The situation highlights the urgent need for government intervention to provide affordable and accessible kidney transplant facilities to patients. 

 Without such measures, thousands of patients in Punjab face prolonged suffering and uncertainty about their survival.

Reporter: Zahid Chaudary