Punjab Govt to Cover Cost of Life-Saving Transplant Surgeries
— February 23, 2025
LAHORE (AIA) Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has launched the Chief Minister Punjab Transplant Programme, calling it the most comprehensive transplant initiative in the country’s history.
For the first time, five major transplant procedures—liver, kidney, bone marrow, cornea, and cochlear implants—will be provided free of cost to deserving patients, according to a handout issued on Sunday.
Through this initiative, Punjab residents in need can undergo life-saving transplant surgeries at the government’s expense. Cochlear implants will be available for children born with hearing impairments, enabling them to lead normal lives. Patients can register with the Punjab Human Organ Transplantation Authority (PHOTA) to access these facilities. Transplants will be conducted not only in government hospitals but also in selected private hospitals.
To assist patients, the Punjab government has established a toll-free helpline: 09009 0800.
The chief minister emphasised the government’s dedication to public welfare: “The state recognises the needs of every citizen, and we will fulfil our responsibility. Organ transplantation is a highly complex and costly procedure that most people cannot afford. Now, the government will take on this responsibility.”
She added that cochlear implants will help children born deaf regain their hearing, while successful corneal transplants will restore sight to those suffering from blindness. The CM assured that the government will bear all expenses for liver and kidney transplants, lifting the financial burden off patients.