Doctors urge father to donate liver to Bilqis

SEMARANG, Central Java: The team of doctors at the Kariadi Hospital in Semarang, who are scheduled to perform a liver transplant on 17-month-old Bilqis Anindya Pasha, has encouraged her father to be the organ donor despite having a different blood type.

"We have prioritized Bilqis' father as the donor. We don't yet need donors from outside the family," team member A.G. Soemantri said in Semarang on Friday.

Bilqis, who is suffering from a bile duct abnormality, must undergo a liver transplant to survive.

The team of specialists are still making efforts to find a suitable liver donor for Bilqis after both her parents' blood type were tested as different from hers.

Her blood group is AB, while her mother is A and father is B.

Soemantri said the risk of tissue rejection on the patient from the donated organ would be high given the different blood type.

"Therefore, we will further conduct tests before deciding on the matter. Bilqis is undergoing routine tests related to the function of her heart, lungs, eyes, ears and other organs. Her condition is currently stable." - JP