Hundreds of people in Qatar awaiting kidney and liver transplants are pinning their hopes on the new Qatar Center for Organ Transplantation, which was launched on Sunday by Hamad Medical Corp.

The state-of-the-art facility, which has already received international accreditation, will provide health care and emotional and social support to organ recipients, donors and their families.

It represents Qatar’s first big step in raising awareness about the need for organ donation – which has been limited due to a lack of understanding about the practice – and will be soon followed by the creation of a nationwide donor registry.

Qatar Tribune reports:

As per the Doha Donation Accord, Qatar will soon launch the National Organ Donation Center which will be under the management of the Supreme Council of Health (SCH).

It will house the donor registry in the country and supervise all donation processes including allocation of organs. Dr. al Maslamani said SCH was in the final stages of the preparations for this facility which will compliment the work of Qatar Center for Organ Transplantation.

By June 2012, doctors said Qatar hopes to give residents the options of listing themselves as organ donors on their ID cards.