The first annual walkathon to raise awareness about organ donation will be held at the Almouj Muscat on December 22 with the theme of ‘You’re Giving them Life’.
“Organ transplantation is one of the most important achievements in modern medicine. It is the only treatment for the failure of organs like the heart, liver, kidneys, etc.,” said Dr Neven bint Ibrahim al Kalbaniyah, Head of the Organ Transplant Department at the Royal Hospital and member of the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation.
Explaining who can donate, she said, “Any living person can safely donate a kidney or lobe of the liver to save lives and give patients hope, and this walkathon would be an awakening call to many who are willing to donate and to feel for those who need them.
“It is a less known fact that a brain-dead donor can save the lives of eight people by donating the heart, kidneys, pancreas, liver, lungs and small intestine besides tissues, such as corneas and heart valves, and improve the quality of life for more than fifty people. The Omani Association for Organ Transplantation is seeking to support the national efforts aimed at establishing a national programme for organ transplantation, which came within the framework of the Royal blessing,” she said, adding there are many initiatives planned to spread the hope of life to many patients with organ failure through educational awareness campaigns, and also to contribute to supporting donors and recipients of organs and their families.
Several events are planned as part of the walkathon. There will be a speech by the sponsor of the president of the Omani Association for Organ Transplantation, besides sharing the experience of a donor and recipient, followed by a video about organ donation.
An educational and awareness corner of organ donation, an illustration of the registration process as an organ donor through the Shifa application, a corner to measure parameters such as pressure, sugar and cholesterol and how to avoid organic failure of organs, an entertaining and educational corner for children and other fun and informative activities.
Earlier, the Ministry of Health, represented by the Royal Hospital with the support of the Sohar Aluminium Company, had launched an Awareness Application for Body Organs Donation in March to promote the culture of organ donation and raise awareness by providing them with information, data and expert opinion.
People, in general, have been urged to familiarise themselves with the application and register in the “Shifa” application. This is a rare move in the Sultanate of Oman and the Arab world.
The application aims to define the organ donation mechanism, correct post-mortem organ donation misperceptions, and confirm relatives’ donation conditions.
It further provides the community with all medical information on liver and kidney transplantation and answers recurring inquiries related to children, adolescents, and pregnant and nursing mothers, besides highlighting the consequences of trade in human organs.
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