Abdul Aziz Al-Ruwaili Okaz/Saudi Gazette TABUK — For quite some time, Saudi society was dealing with the issue of organ donations with caution because it was unclear from religious perspectives whether transplants were permitted. These worries and concerns ended when the Board of Senior Scholars permitted the donation of organs in 1981. The majority of scholars said it is permissible to transfer an organ from a dead person to a Muslim patient and it is permissible for a person to donate his organ to a Muslim patient. In 2012, 631 cases were diagnosed as brain-dead in 94 hospitals all over the Kingdom. But only 83 cases donated organs while the families of other patients refused to give such permission. This year, 118 kidney transplant operations were conducted after the families of brain-dead patients donated their organs. Also, 50 transplant operations were carried out using the organs donated by the families of brain-dead patients. The operations were performed at King Abdulaziz Medical City of Riyadh, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center in Riyadh, and King Fahd Specialist Hospital in Dammam. Tabuk hospitals also carried out organ transplantation procedures this year. One of the procedures was performed on a college student who donated his kidney to his father. Doctors at Prince Salman Military Hospital carried out the procedure. The student said he was happy that he donated one of his organs to his father. Okaz/Saudi Gazette visited King Khalid Hospital of Tabuk and met some patients who have been waiting for years for organs. Muhammad Al-Shahrani is 24 and has been undergoing dialysis for nine years. He had to drop out of school because of his medical condition. He comes to the hospital three times a week. Each dialysis session takes three hours and a half. His hands are full of scars and marks left by syringes. Al-Shahrani hoped that he would have a kidney transplant operation so that his suffering would end and he could continue his studies and lead a normal life. Muhammad Asiri is an old man who started undergoing dialysis sessions around two years ago. He said he is not waiting for anyone to donate their organs to him because he believes that patients younger than him should be given priority. “I say to all Muslims, donate your organs to your brothers and sisters who are in dire need and who have been suffering from kidney and liver problems. Your reward from Allah will be immense.” Dr. Fareed Kheder, a specialist nephrologist at King Khalid Hospital of Tabuk, said people who are alive as well as dead can be donors. However, the cases of brain-dead patients in Saudi hospitals are many. Kheder said if patient with a kidney condition reaches the stage of having to undergo dialysis, it means his life is effectively crippled. He will have to come to the hospital three times a week and each session takes up to four hours. If he works or studies, he will have eventually to quit school or his job. Those patients can also develop other blood and psychological disorders. The only solution or treatment for their case is organ donation. Many people donated their kidneys to their sick relatives and surgical operations were conducted successfully in the Kingdom. The donor will undergo a general anesthesia so that he does not feel any pain. After the organ has been transferred, the patient will be given painkillers to alleviate any pain. Many donors described their feeling following operations as happy because they helped save someone's life. Dr. Tarfah Al-Amrani, health education specialist at King Khalid Hospital, said the idea of organ donation needs more public awareness. She said meeting the family of dead patient and convincing them to donate his organs is one of the most difficult tasks she faces. “This task requires a lot of patience and strength and courage.” However, organ donations have been on the increase over the past few months compared to previous years, she said. Dr. Attallah Al-Atawi, nephrology surgeon at King Khalid Hospital, said some of the common misconceptions surrounding the issue of organ donation include how old the donor must be. Some people believe that boys and girls cannot donate organs because they are young. However, this is not true because age does not have an impact on the process, he said. The organs of babies who die can be donated, he said, adding that it is the doctors who decide whether the organs are fit for donation or not. Another misconception is that rich and influential people are given priority when it comes to organ transplants. Al-Atawi said this is not true because there is a list of the people who are in dire need of organ transplants and they are treated according to priority.
