Doha: Over 30,000 people in Qatar have signed up to become organ donors since the first day of Ramadan, bringing the total to more than 75,000.
“The number is a significant improvement on last year’s campaign, demonstrating a greater understanding and acceptance of organ donation in the community and high-level support for the programme,” said Dr Abdulla Al Ansari, Deputy Chief, Medical, Academic and Research Affairs for Surgical Services, Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC).
During Ramadan, staff from Qatar Organ Donation Centre (Hiba) set up booths in malls and other locations to educate the public on organ donation in general and asking them to consider registering as donors.
An organ transplant can be life-saving. It can also significantly improve quality of life for someone with chronic organ failure. The life-saving organs come from deceased donors, who pledged during their lives to give their organs to the needy.
A deceased organ donor can save up to eight lives. It is also possible to donate a kidney or part of the liver while one is alive, to a relative.
“I would like to thank staff of Hiba and all those from different departments that have participated in the campaign,” Dr Al Ansari said. “I also would like to thank the 14 shopping malls and their administration for support in providing our teams with space to spread the message.”
Dr Riaydh Fadhil, Director, Hiba, said his team and HMC had worked to deliver the message of advantages of organ donation to the community.
“The growth of our donor registry is unprecedented compared to the region and internationally. We started the campaign in 2012 and it has reached 75,000 which means seven percent of the eligible adult population in Qatar. We are confident that by the year-end, the registry will reach 100,000.”
The campaign continues until the year-end. “We urge the public to approach stands and booths of organ donation to get more information on this noble act and register as donors,” Dr Riaydh said. For details about the campaign, visit www.hamad.qa
The Peninsula
