DOHA: Hamad Medical Corporation’s (HMC) Organ Donation Center (Hiba) honoured 41 organ donors and their families for giving the gift of life, at the annual ‘Celebration of Life’ event in the presence of Minister of Public Health H E Abdullah bin Khalid Al Qahtani.
The event honoured 33 living donors and the families of eight deceased donors, for their contribution to the health of the nation and the organ donation programme.
Dr Hanan Al Kuwari, Managing Director, HMC, was also present at the event.
Seven Qatari organ transplant recipients who chose to have their surgeries in Qatar rather than going abroad this year were also honoured.
Supporters of the programme were thanked for contribution, including Qatar Red Crescent and representatives of shopping malls which donated space for the organ donation campaign to share their message with the public.
Dr Yousef Al Maslamani, Director, Qatar Center for Organ Transplantation, HMC, said, “Through awareness programmes, especially the ongoing campaign about organ donation, have brought about a huge shift in public understanding and perspective of this important topic.
“It is important to thank those who contributed to the programme, especially our living donors and the deceased ones and their families. They have given the gift of life.
“The greater number of organ donors has led to an increase in kidney transplant procedures as well as enabling new procedures to take place, such as liver transplants and paediatric kidney transplants.”
Mohammad Saad Al Rumaihi, a kidney transplant patient who received care at Hamad General Hospital, praised HMC’s efforts towards organ donations.
He said HMC has succeeded in changing views and perceptions of many Qatari patients who previously opted to travel overseas for treatment and transplants.
“We have great confidence in HMC’s capabilities in organ transplants. It has a highly experienced and knowledgeable team of surgeons, who are among the world’s best.
“Qatar is now world renowned in the field of organ transplants, thanks to God Almighty, efforts of the leadership and dedication of the team at Hiba, who exert every possible effort to save patients’ lives.”
The Peninsula
