The major procedure will soon be possible thanks to doctors at Hamad Medical Corporation.

Hamad Medical Corporation’s [HMC] Organ Transplant Program will soon start lung transplants, the Minister for Public Health, Dr. Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari announced on Monday.

Lung transplants are going to be offered to people with lung failure where other treatment options are not possible. This new procedure will be added to Qatar’s organ transplant program, which already offers kidney and liver transplant surgeries.

“Qatar’s national strategy for organ donation and transplantation is not only world-leading in terms of the clinical and ethical standards it applies, but it is also one that is appropriate to the healthcare needs of our growing and diverse population,” said Dr. Al Kuwari.

This procedure marks a new milestone for HMC’s unit, which is considered one of the most comprehensive transplant centers in the region.

“Qatar’s organ donation and transplantation programs have fairness and equity at their heart and is something which we can be extremely proud of,” said Dr. Al Kuwari.

Read also: Organ donation: The final act of compassion before death

The new program will provide a holistic, individualised treatment for patients in need of a lung transplant under the supervision of a professional team of pulmonologists and surgeons, along with nurses, social workers, dietitians, rehabilitation staff and other specialists.

Moreover, Professor Takahiro Oto, an internationally renowned expert in lung transplantation has recently joined HMC as its lung transplant team leader.

“As an organization we have continued growing to meet the increasing and changing needs of our community and have been striving to fulfill its vision to provide the best quality care for all patients irrespective of nationality, religion or race,” said Dr Abdulla Al Ansari, Chief Medical Officer of HMC.

According to Dr. Al Ansari, the new program will further enable the organisation and the teams  to move into the next phase in the development of transplant services in Qatar.

“In November 2019 we set up a Heart and Lung Transplant Taskforce team who were charged with not only creating the environment in which the program would be a success, but also marshalling the planning, resources and technology needed to make this happen,” added Dr. Al Ansari.

The Qatar organ transplantation program was launched in 1986. Since then, there have been more than 430,000 registered organ donors in Qatar.

“The wider organ donation and transplantation program continues to evolve to meet the changing needs of our community and has been striving to fulfill its vision to provide the best quality care for all patients, irrespective of nationality, religion, or race,” said Dr. Riadh Fadhil, Director of the Qatar Organ Donation Center at HMC and Chair of the Heart and Lung Taskforce.

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