Islamabad, March 29, 2018 (PPI-OT): The Hon’ble Chief Justice of Pakistan Mr. Justice Mian Saqib Nisar has taken suo moto notice of reported closing down of Bone Marrow Transplant Centre (BMTC) at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Islamabad. The notice was taken on application by parents of the children getting treatment. They have stated that bone marrow transplant is the only cure available to children with thalassaemia major and around 500 children are on the waiting list for transplants. It further stated that doctors, nurses and staff at the centre have not been paid their salaries since July 2017 and they have now been told that their contracts will not be extended owing to administrative issues.
The transplant at a private hospital costs around Rs.3 million, it costs Rs1m at the PIMS of which Rs.6 lac are donated by Pakistan Baitul Mal. Application also asserted that there is apprehension of closure of the Cardiac Centre, while the liver transplant unit at PIMS has already been closed and the same is apparently for the benefit of private hospitals that are charging for more than the average citizen can afford. Taking notice of the issue, the Hon’ble Chief Justice of Pakistan has called report from Secretary Ministry of Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) within three days.
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