Dr Abdul Halim Ahmed Omar with his brother Al Fateh.
DOHA: Dr Abdul Halim Ahmed Omar, a Sudanese consultant nephrologist is the beneficiary of the latest kidney transplant successfully carried out by the Qatar Center for Organ Transplantation (QCOT) of the Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) earlier this month.
HMC is currently preparing for a number of kidney transplant surgeries that are planned to be performed this year. It has seen an increase in the number of overseas patients seeking organ transplant in Qatar, said senior HMC officials.
Since opening in November 2011, the QCOT has gained widespread recognition as a world-class organ transplant center. The center, managed by the HMC, has established a reputation for quality patient care and as a result has received numerous requests for organ transplants from outside Qatar.
Omar, working with the Omdurman Military Hospital in Sudan, had been suffering from kidney failure and was undergoing renal dialysis for the past eight months. He was familiar with the surgical team at HMC. He sent his medical reports to the transplantation team for evaluation and was delighted to be selected on medical grounds as a suitable candidate to undergo an organ transplantation operation.
Omar and his brother, Al Fateh, went to Hamad General Hospital (HGH), where necessary tests and investigations were carried out.
The meticulous transplant preparations were made over a whole month. The HMC surgical team included Dr Yousef Al Maslamani, Dr Riyadh Fadhil, Dr Omar Al Faytouri, Dr Isam Omar and Dr Henric Anan successfully conducted the transplant on September 7.
“Qatar has helped many people in the Arab world to receive much needed medical treatment and I am proud of the high quality care provided here. I am also grateful to the clinical and administrative teams at the QCOT for their support and excellent care,” said Omar, who continues to pursue his follow-up appointments at the outpatient clinic.
Narrating the experience of donating one of his kidneys to his brother, Al Fateh Omar, the younger brother of Omar, said: “Even though I live so far away from my brother, in Kurdofan province which is 600km west of Khartoum in Sudan, I immediately expressed my willingness to donate my kidney when I knew about his health condition. I was relieved when they told me that the tests showed tissue compatibility between my brother and me. We thank Allah that the transplant was a success and both of us are doing well. Currently I am continuing with my normal daily routine and regularly go for follow-up medical check-ups.
“This was a more complicated surgery but because of the extensive tests and laboratory investigations needed but we were confident that the operation would be successful,” explained Dr Yousef Al Maslamani, Surgeon and Kidney transplant Consultant, Medical Chief of Staff at HGH and Director of Qatar Center for Organ Transplantation.
He added that an increase in the number of kidney transplant interventions is expected this year. “We are currently preparing 10 pairs of organ recipients and donors for transplants”, said Al Muslamani.
Dr Riyadh Fadhil, kidney transplant Consultant, Urologist and Deputy Director of Qatar Center for Organ Transplantation, said that the center has witnessed an increase in the number of patients seeking kidney transplant from Sudan, Morocco, Lebanon, Iraq India and other countries.
The Peninsula
