The 50-year-old recipient of the kidney had previously experienced kidney failure and underwent a kidney transplant procedure outside of Qatar in 2017.
An Indian wife donated her kidney to her husband in a life-saving operation executed by Hamad Medical Corporation [HMC].
The surgical feat was carried out after a comprehensive medical examination and tests were conducted to confirm that the wife was indeed fit to donate her kidney to her spouse, HMC said.
The 50-year-old recipient of the kidney, Faisal Kofomal, had previously experienced kidney failure and underwent a kidney transplant procedure outside of Qatar in 2017.
However, he encountered complications that further worsened his health condition. After moving to Qatar, his wife, Samira, stepped in to help save his life.
“The decision was not easy but when felt the medical care and the advanced capabilities at HMC while doing the regular checkup, I felt courage and believed that I will be alright. I thank God for having a successful surgery and I also thank everyone who helped us to have this wish possible,” the wife said after the operation.
Her husband also said that the surgery has triggered hope that he could live without the crippling effects experienced over the last 15 years.
Dr. Yousuf Al Maslamani, Medical Director at HMC’s Hamad General Hospital (HGH) as well as the Director of the Qatar Center for Organ Transplantation, attributed the surgical success to the efforts of a well-rounded medical team and the continuous progress of the nation’s healthcare sector.
“In 2022, we performed 41 kidney transplants with a success rate of 100%, including 25 kidney transplants from living donors and 16 kidney transplants from deceased donors,” he said.
“We aim to perform 50 kidney transplants this year with an average of one transplant surgery every week.”
Dr. Al Maslamani highlighted that the team had so far completed 24 kidney transplants this year, none of which resulted in complications. Of these 24 transplants, 15 were from living donors, including 6 kidneys from Qatari donors, and 9 were from deceased donors.
He also added that the hospital started administering new medications for the first time in the Gulf nation that help in the reduction of antibody production in transplant recipients, thus preparing them better for kidney transplantation and lessening organ transplant surgery waiting times.
“These medications also help increase eligibility of patients with organ failure for organ transplantation. The number of kidney transplants performed each year at HMC depends on the availability of donors who meet all donation criteria and the number of cases where we have a donor-recipient match,” the healthcare professional said, adding that every potential transplant patient is thoroughly examined before surgery to ensure they meet all donation criteria and safeguard the wellbeing of the donor.
Qatar Center for Organ Transplantation ranks among the top in the world in its field.
Organ transplantation is a highly specialised surgical process and calls for the knowledge and skill of professionals and modern technologies and capabilities, such as laparoscopic surgery for the extraction of the donor’s kidney.
“At HMC, all kidney transplants under the most stringent conditions and preparations to meet the donation conditions and to ensure no post-surgery complications are caused to the patient,” he noted.
