(MENAFN- Gulf Times) The Qatar Organ Donation Centre (Hiba) of Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), targets to add another 60,000 donors to reach a total of 100,000 organ donors through its National Organ Donation campaign which runs until Eid al-Adha. Hiba already has more than 40,000 donors.
HMC, in association with Al Faisal Without Borders Foundation (ALF) launched the campaign on Sunday at City Center Doha. HE Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim al-Thani, chairman of the Board of Trustees of ALF, inaugurated the initiative which also includes a voluntary blood donation campaign.
Dr Yousuf al-Maslamani, director of Qatar Organ Transplant Centre at HMC; Dr Riadh Fadhil, director of Hiba; and Ali al-Khater, executive director, corporate communications, HMC, were also present.
"Last year, we aimed for 40,000 donors and achieved it," Dr al-Maslamani told Gulf Times. There might be a permanent booth for organ donation centre at the City Center Doha soon, he hinted. "We have requested for a space at the City Center Doha to Sheikh Faisal. He has promised to look into it."
Dr Fadhil explained that the main objectives of the campaign are to increase awareness within the community about organ donation; to increase the number of registered donors; and to hopefully reduce any concerns or misconceptions that people may have regarding organ donation and transplantation services in Qatar.
"In 2009 we had only one donor. Now we have a diseased donor every month.The waiting period is considerably reduced. Now, there is a waiting list on the theatre to complete the surgeries."
Dr Fadhil stressed that people going outside Qatar for organ transplant are having serious problems. "Recently three individuals who had organ transplant outside, had come to HMC with serious complications. Among the transplants done outside Qatar, about 70% had complications and 12% were dead .We have 100% success rate and there is no mortality at all."
For the voluntary blood donation campaign, mobile blood donor units are being dispatched to locations around Qatar. The main blood donor centre at the main quarters next to the Advisory Council will receive donors from 8pm to midnight during Ramadan.
The national organ donation campaign booths are set up in shopping malls and other prominent locations around the country, where Hiba's specially-trained employees will talk to the public about the importance of organ donation and answer questions people might have. Visitors to the stands will be able register as an organ donor on the spot.
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