Launched at City Center Doha
HMC launches Ramadan Campaign for Blood and Organ Donations for the 11th Year
The donors register exceeded 530,000 and the number of organ transplants increased to 96 operations in 2023
Doha: 16 March, 2024 - Hamad Medical Corporation, in cooperation with Al Faisal Without Borders Foundation, launched Ramadan field campaign for voluntary blood donation and organ donation for the 11th consecutive year and will continue until April 9, 2024.
The campaign is within the framework of community partnership and the national initiative of ALF with HMC. It is also part of the efforts of ALF to increase awareness about the importance of blood and organ donation and to enhance awareness of the importance of these services for the medical sector and patients.
The campaign was launched at City Center Doha and attended by His Excellency Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al Thani, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Al Faisal Without Borders Foundation; Mr. Nayef Al Shamari, Executive Director of Media Department at HMC; Mr. Abdul Latif Al Yafei, General Manager of Al Faisal Without Borders Foundation; Dr. Riadh Fadhil, Director of the Qatar Organ Donation Center (Hiba); Dr. Aisha Ibrahim Al Malki, Executive Director of Blood Transfusion Services and Head of Haemovigilance at HMC, Ms. Siddiqa Al Mahmoudi, Medical Manager and Head of the Blood Donor Recruitment Section at HMC, and Mr. Khalifa Al Yafei, Acting Executive Director of Public Relations at HMC, along with a number of donors.
HE Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al Thani emphasized that this campaign represents a national duty stemming from the objectives of ALF and its well-established leadership role in sponsoring humanitarian and social events. This includes supporting field campaigns to provide blood and organs, as well as participating in raising community awareness about this human aspect and promoting the importance of donation.Top of Form
Mr. Abdul Latif Al Yafei, stated that the continuity of launching the blood and organ donation campaign since 2013 until now is a clear evidence of the success of the campaign through the distinguished partnership between ALF and HMC.
"In the previous campaigns, we have witnessed a great turnout from blood donors, reflecting the good spirit of Qatar citizens and residents on our generous land. Today, we are realizing the visionary goals of ALF to be a leading national, humanitarian, and global institution aspiring to enhance sustainable development and dignified living, and to bridge cultural and humanitarian communication with society by providing a wide range of developmental options."
Mr. Nayef Al Shamari, Executive Director of Media Department at HMC, stressed the remarkable success of the activities of Ramadan campaign for blood donation and organ donation as a result of the continuous collaboration between HMC and Al Faisal Without Borders Foundation, praising the efforts of His Excellency Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani, and Al Faisal Without Borders Foundation for their continued support of Hamad Medical Corporation.Mr. Nayef Al Shamari said: "The continuous success of the annual blood and organ donation campaign confirms the significant awareness among the public to support and enrich the blood bank inventory, as well as their willingness to register in the organ donor registries after death. We thank all our supporters in this campaign and hope that it contributes to spreading the culture of donating the gift of life through blood or organs."
The campaign has achieved notable success in the past years, attracting a large number of blood donors and organ donors. The Blood Donation Center and the Qatar Organ Donation Center (HIBA) activate their respective plans to organize field campaigns and leverage Ramadan events held throughout the holy month, in major commercial centers, cultural, social, and youth centers with high public attendance.
Launching the organ donation campaign during the blessed month of Ramadan is part of the national campaign executed by the Qatar Organ Donation Center (HIBA), continuing throughout the year. This campaign targets various locations in Doha and other cities to attract organ donors among citizens and residents, under the National Organ Transplant Program supervised by HMC.
Dr. Riadh Fadhil, Director of the Qatar Organ Donation Center at HMC, confirmed that booths are being provided by the national organ donation campaign in seven shopping centers. These booths are currently being set up and are scheduled to open during the blessed month of Ramadan.
“During the campaign medical, nursing, and administrative staff of the (Hiba) center's awareness booth interact with members of the public to explain the center'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 added.
According to Dr. Riadh Fadhil, the organ donor registry in the country has about 530,000 registered donors. This represents nearly 25% of the adult population in the State of 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.
Additionally, he mentioned that the organ donor registry has more than 100 nationalities represented, 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. In addition, Dr. Riadh expressed gratitude to the families of organ donors and noted the strong public support for the nation's organ donation efforts.
Dr. Riadh Fadhil stated that in 2023, there was a significant increase in the number of donors and transplants, with 82 kidney transplants, 11 liver transplants, and 3 lung transplants performed out.
HMC officials expressed their thanks and appreciation to the public and to all other participating institutions and malls for their support and hosting of the blood donation and organ donation campaign during the holy month.
Dr. Aisha Ibrahim Al Malki expressed her gratitude and appreciation to the Al Faisal Without Borders Foundation for its continuous support of blood donation campaigns. She emphasized the success of these campaigns in enriching the stocks of blood and blood products over the past years, with the number of blood donors in the City Center Doha campaigns exceeding 800 donors annually during Ramadan. Plans are currently underway to add platelet donation to future campaigns.
According to Ms. Siddiqa Al-Mahmoudi, these field campaigns for voluntary blood donation that are started during the month of Ramadan represent an extension of the interactive and community field campaigns plan and help to ensure a sufficient stock of different blood groups. This is due to the significant efforts coupled with the promotion of voluntary donation culture made by Hamad Medical Corporation, and reflects the outcome of the vital role played by Qatar blood Donation Center on a general level, along with interactive engagement and national initiatives in which individuals and institutions participate.
“For the field campaign in collaboration with Al Faisal Without Borders Foundation, the blood donation team is available in the Ramadan campaign ward 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 centers, markets, and cultural events to encourage blood donors. Qatar National Blood Donation Center is open from Sunday to Thursday from 8 am until 1 pm and from 6 pm until midnight, and on Saturday from 6 pm until midnight” Ms. Al-Mahmoudi said.
Hamad Medical Corporation extends a warm invitation to all citizens and residents to take part in this humanitarian effort, which aims to promote everyone's health and well-being by visiting its booth throughout the holy month of Ramadan.
