KARACHI: In a powerful act of compassion amidst profound grief, Dr Mahar Afroze, a nephrologist and associate professor at SIUT, donated both kidneys of her only son, 23-year-old Syed Sultan Zafar, after he was declared brain dead following a tragic road accident. The donation saved the lives of two patients awaiting transplants, as confirmed by SIUT.
Sultan, a dental student at Ziauddin Medical and Dental College, was the only son of Dr Afroze and the grandson of two renowned healthcare figures—Professor Tipu Sultan and Professor Dr Shershah Syed. He had lost his father, Syed Furqan Zafar, to liver cancer a few years ago and will now be buried beside him in Kohi Goth, where the family runs a charity hospital.
Recalling the tragic sequence of events, Prof Tipu shared that Sultan suffered severe head injuries in a car accident on Wednesday. He underwent two surgeries to relieve pressure on his brain, and though he initially showed signs of recovery, his condition deteriorated rapidly. On Tuesday afternoon, he lost all neurological reflexes, confirming brain death.
After hours of painful deliberation, Dr Afroze made the courageous decision to donate her son’s kidneys. Aware of the dire shortage of organ donors in Pakistan, she ensured his body was transported to SIUT the same night for the organ retrieval.
Both kidneys were successfully transplanted into patients who had been on dialysis for years. Unfortunately, other organs could not be harvested due to the unavailability of recipients.
Dr Shershah Syed hailed Dr Afroze’s act as a “shining example” of humanity. SIUT Director Dr Adib Rizvi also praised the family’s bravery, urging society to follow their lead and address the national shortage of organ donors. Dr Afroze’s strength offers hope to countless patients awaiting the gift of life.
