Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute completes 1,000 successful liver transplants, joins world’s leading transplant centres

The Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute (PKLI) has achieved a major milestone by completing 1,000 successful liver transplants, placing it among the top global transplant centres. The achievement marks a significant advancement for Pakistan’s healthcare sector.

Established in 2017 under the vision of then–Chief Minister and current Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, PKLI was created to provide world-class treatment for kidney and liver diseases.

According to a PKLI spokesperson, the institute has so far performed 1,000 liver, 1,100 kidney, and 14 bone marrow transplants, while more than 4 million patients have benefited from its medical services. Around 80 percent of patients receive free treatment, in line with international healthcare standards.

For patients who can afford it, the cost of a liver transplant at PKLI is around PKR 6 million, significantly lower than the USD 70,000–150,000 typically charged abroad.

The spokesperson added that PKLI faced severe challenges during the tenure of the previous government, when its funds were frozen and the institute was converted into a COVID-19 hospital, reducing transplant operations to just four in 2019. However, following Shehbaz Sharif’s return to power in 2022, the institute was revived and re-funded, restoring it to its original mission.

The revival led to remarkable progress — 211 liver transplants were performed in 2022, 213 in 2023, and over 259 in 2024, with more than 200 successful surgeries already recorded in 2025.

Medical experts say the initiative has saved Pakistan billions in foreign exchange, as hundreds of patients previously travelled to India annually for treatment, facing exorbitant costs and, in some cases, discrimination.

Beyond transplants, PKLI has expanded into urology, gastroenterology, nephrology, interventional radiology, advanced endoscopy, and robotic surgeries, earning international recognition for its excellence.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif hailed the milestone as “a dream fulfilled,” crediting the institute’s founder Dr. Saeed Akhtar and his team for their “exceptional service to humanity.” He also praised Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz for her “dedicated efforts to restore PKLI to full operational strength.”

> “The sapling planted in 2017 has now become a tree serving millions,” the Prime Minister said. “PKLI is not just a hospital — it is a symbol of national pride, self-reliance, and service to humanity.”