Dr Riadh Fadhil, director of the Qatar Organ Donation Centre (HIBA) noted that in 2023, there was a significant increase in the number of organ donors and transplants in the country.
“We had performed 82 kidney transplants, 11 liver transplants, and three lung transplants in 2023,” said Dr Fadhil as Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), in cooperation with Al Faisal Without Borders Foundation, launched the Ramadan campaign for voluntary organ and blood donation .
According to Dr Fadhil, the organ donor registry in the country has about 530,000 registered donors. “This represents nearly 25% of the adult population in Qatar. There are now more kidney transplants performed each year due to the yearly doubling of the number of living kidney donors to their family” said, Dr Fadhil.
Additionally, he noted that the organ donor registry has more than 100 nationalities which is a remarkable accomplishment given that the registry was only established 12 years ago and positively correlates with the organ donation rate among all nationalities.
As for the current campaign Dr Fadhil said “During the campaign medical, nursing, and administrative staff of the Hiba centre's awareness booth interact with members of the public to explain the centre's vision, mission, and objectives. Inquiries from the public regarding organ donation and how crucial it is to saving lives are answered by the medical team. Registration for organ donation is also facilitated for those who wish to join, and donors can receive their donor card on the spot,” Dr Riadh said.
According Siddiqa al-Mahmoudi, medical director and head of the Blood Donor Recruitment Section, HMC, the campaigns for voluntary blood donation represent an extension of the interactive and community field campaign and help ensure a sufficient stock of different blood groups.
She continued: "This is due to the significant efforts coupled with the promotion of voluntary donation culture made by HMC, and reflects the outcome of the vital role played by Qatar blood Donation Centre on a general level, along with interactive engagement and national initiatives in which individuals and institutions participate."
“For the field campaign, the blood donation team is available in the Ramadan campaign on the first floor of the City Center Mall from 8 pm until midnight, and the mobile blood donation units are also available in different locations in malls, shopping centres, markets, and cultural events to encourage blood donors. Qatar National Blood Donation Centre is open from Sunday to Thursday from 8am until 1pm and from 6pm until midnight, and on Saturday from 6 pm until midnight” al-Mahmoudi added.
Officials at the launch of the Ramadan campaign for organ and blood donation.
