HMC launches campaign to encourage organ donation

This Ramadan Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) is asking the public to consider giving the gift of life and registering as an organ donor as part of six-week long campaign in various locations around Qatar. 

Starting from the first day of the Holy Month of Ramadan, staff from the Qatar Organ Donation Center (Hiba) will be in booths in shopping malls and other prominent locations around the country, aiming to educate members of the public on organ donation in general and asking them to consider registering as a donor. The public will be able to find out what it means to be a registered organ donor, how it can save the lives, as well as having their questions answered. They will be able to register as a donor on the spot and will receive their donor card.

An organ transplant can be life-saving procedure. It can also significantly improve quality of life for someone with chronic organ failure. These life-saving organs come from deceased donors, who have pledged during their life to give their organs to someone in need. A deceased organ donor can save up to eight lives. It is also possible to donate a kidney or part of the liver while you are alive to your relative. 

Hanan Al Kuwari, PhD, Managing Director of HMC, who officially launched the Ramadan campaign with a visit to the Hiba offices, explained the importance of the organ donation and transplantation program in Qatar. “The more registered donors we have in Qatar, the more likely it is that no one will have to wait for a life-saving organ transplant. Many of our countries leading figures, including Her Highness Sheikha Moza Bint Nasser and His Excellency the Minister for Public Health, Mr. Abdullah Bin Khalid Al Qahtani are registered organ donors. I myself am also registered as a donor because I firmly believe that it is the right thing to do, and I would like to urge any members of the public who are not yet registered donors to join the 50,000 people in Qatar who are - I am sure there are many more people in the country who would be prepared to give the gift of life and register as a donor. The more the public understand about organ donation and transplantation, the more likely they are to feel committed to being a registered donor. This is why our staff are going out to speak in a variety of public places this Ramadan; to answer questions and raise awareness.”

Dr. Riadh Fadhil, Director of Hiba, said he is hoping that by raising awareness, and by having an ever growing donor registry, patients will no longer have to travel overseas for a transplant. He also wants to reduce any concerns or misconceptions that people have regarding the process. 

“Under the Doha Donation Accord we make sure we look after the donors and their families. For living donors we provide health insurance for life, as well as covering any loss of income due to working days missed during the operation and recovery. We also honor our donors for giving this precious gift to someone who badly needed it with a medal during an annual ceremony for this purpose," he said.

“We also support families of deceased patients to access all the benefits they are entitled to within human rights provisions. We ensure families who lose their sole breadwinner are supported financially and that all deceased patients are flown to their home country, or that funeral expenses are covered, if they are buried in Qatar.," he said.

Dr. Fadhil added: “We need more donors to register in Qatar so nobody has to face losing a loved one while they are waiting for an organ.  Achieving self-sufficiency in organ donation as a society cannot be achieved without community solidarity."

Dr. Yousuf Al Maslamani, Medical Director of Hamad General Hospital and Director of Qatar Center for Organ Transplantation added: “In Doha we have a team of highly skilled professionals working in organ donation and transplantation.  We have state-of-the-art facilities and provide a safe and compassionate service that is recognized internationally and in keeping with best international standards, in contrast to the commercial transplantation done in some countries abroad that carries high mortality rates and the risk of serious complications. We encourage the public to do have their transplant in our center as ew believe we are able to offer them the best possible care.”

Dr. Fadhil and his team have briefed approximately 500 HMC staff members, who all speak a variety of languages, on the upcoming campaign, with the messages that needed to be conveyed to the multi-cultural society. This means they will be able to support members of the public to make an informed decision about registering as an organ donor.

HMC is asking the public to visit one of the 12 organ donation stands and booths that they will see every evening during the Holy Month of Ramadan, to learn more about organ donation and, for those who are interested to register as a donor. We also invite the public to visit our website http://organdonation.hamad.qa  for more information.