Public Health Minister Inaugurates Organ Transplantation Centre

Doha, November 27 (QNA) - HE the Public Health Minister and Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Health (SCH) Dr. Abdullah bin Khalid Al-Qahtani and Director General of Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) Dr. Hanan Al-Kuwari opened today Qatar Centre for Organ Transplantation with a number of HMC officials attending. Dr. Al-Qahtani said organ transplantation is an issue receiving great care from the Qatari leadership and officials in charge of the health sector. He underlined that the inauguration of the Centre comes as part of the national health strategy 2011-2016, which stressed the importance of establishing more than one centre to deliver health services in the State of Qatar, underlining that the centre was established to become a leading regional centre in this field. HE the Public Health Minister added that the inauguration of the centre is a major pillars which includes, besides the centre, the legal legislations in addition to the Doha Declaration which banned trafficking in human organs. The Centre is to be a leading regional one of excellence in multi-organ transplantation exemplifying Hamad Medical Corporation's vision through providing the highest standard of safe patient care, research and education; supported by a wide international collaborative network. It provide the best quality of health, emotional and social care to the patients (organ donation recipients), donors and their families. It develops a safe and efficient Multi-Organ Transplant Program that is based on world class standards and will establish HMC's Qatar Center for Organ Transplantation as a center of organ transplantation excellence. It provides services to all our patients irrespective of their culture, religion, gender and economic status. It achieves self sufficiency in organ donation and transplantation. It is to be a Qatari reference institute for future transplant centers, resourceful in updated clinical and administrative policies protocols and guidelines. The current scope of Surgical Service: Renal Transplantation program, Liver Transplantation program, Pancreas Transplantation and Donation procedures from related live donors and after death donors. Kidney disease is a common health problem in Qatar and about 600 patients are now on dialysis. The active waiting list for kidney transplantation is currently 60 patients. Dialysis provides a temporary treatment; the patient remains dependent on the dialysis machine for their survival. (QNA)