Qatar has a single organ transplant waiting list and fair access to transplant services for all nationalities.
The organ donor registry at the Qatar Organ Donation Center (HIBA) reached 500,000 registered donors, or about 25% of the adult population of Qatar, it said, as it celebrated its tenth anniversary.
The centre said it year broke many records in the organ donation field in Qatar and noted kidney transplants have been performed at a higher rate than ever before in the country.
In comparison to June 2021, there are 10.5% more registered donors.
HIBA was established in August 2012 to direct, manage, record, and oversee all organ donation activities in Qatar.
The centre is determined to achieve self sufficiency through public education and the promotion of donation. It serves as the focal point for the national donor registry, transplant registry, and research data base.
HMC’s transplant facilities offer kidney, liver, and now lung transplant surgeries.
71 living kidney donors, eight living liver donors, ten stem cell donors, and 35 families of deceased donors were honoured by HIBA and HMC at a ceremony back in November.
A total of 124 living donors and the families of deceased donors received the Medal of Altruism. Additionally, 23 kidney transplant recipients from Qatar who opted to receive their surgery domestically rather than abroad were also recognised.
There have been successful lung transplant procedures during the first year of the programme’s launch in 2022.
The organ donor registry in Qatar is a private list of people who have consented to donate their organs after passing away.
Qatar has a single organ transplant waiting list and fair access to transplant services for all nationalities.
The Doha Donation Accord, a widely accepted model, lays out guiding policies and principles that serve as the foundation for organ donation initiatives designed to advance the rights and well-being of both donors and recipients.
What does it mean to be a donor?
Organ donors are individuals who voluntarily give an organ to help someone that is in crucial need of a replacement, whether it is a relative, friend, or a stranger. Some organs such as kidneys or specific liver parts can be donated while a person is still alive. However, others can only be given away by donors once they have passed away.
Deceased donors can donate six types of organs: kidneys, pancreas, liver, lungs, heart and intestines. They can also donate bones, skin, heart valves, veins and corneas. If an individual donates all their organs, they can save up to eight lives.
All of the transplant procedures by HMC are conducted under the Doha Donation Accord, which has received endorsement from the International Transplantation Society and the Istanbul Declaration Custodian Group.
The organ transplant medical field in Qatar is evolving. Last June, HMC introduced their lung transplant program, and had the first successful lung transplant operation in the country.
In the gulf state, all procedures related to organ donation and transplantation to patients are free of charge for both residents and nationals. It also has one waiting list for organ transplants for both citizens and residents.
In 2020, the average cost for a kidney transplant in the United States was around $442,500.
