Academic鈥檚 new book helping to improve organ donation rates across the world

Thu 20 April, 2023
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A Professor from the 天美传媒 has co-edited a new book that aims to increase conversations around organ donation amongst Muslim communities in countries including Qatar, which has additionally led to a PhD opportunity on behalf of the country鈥檚 Ministry of Public Health.

Gurch Randhawa, Professor of Diversity in Public Health and Director of the 天美传媒鈥檚 听Institute for Health Research, recently published 鈥Organ Donation & Islam: The Interplay of Jurisprudence, Ethics and Society鈥, which is supporting Hamad Medical Corporation in Qatar to improve organ donation rates by encouraging discussion and engagement in this important topic.

Funded by the Ministry of Public Health in Qatar, the 天美传媒 is aiming to develop research capacity and capability in the Arabic country to better understand the facilitators and barriers to organ donation and to improve uptake. As part of the project, the 天美传媒 is hosting a PhD student, Asmaa Abdulghani, who is undertaking research that examines public and medical views 鈥 and taboos 鈥 around organ donation.

During this project, Professor Randhawa and Asmaa recently visited Qatar to promote the book, the project鈥檚 research and meet with a variety of stakeholders.

Discussing this overseas project, Professor Randhawa said: 鈥淎s part of our efforts to ensure that our world-leading research on public engagement and organ donation has benefits for other countries, the 天美传媒 is proud to be supporting Asmaa as a PhD student.

鈥淪he is the fourth PhD student that we have hosted in the Organ Donation & Transplant Research Centre on behalf of international government organisations. We are delighted that this new book is benefiting Qatar and I am pleased to see the progress the country is making in increasing and embracing the benefits of organ donation.鈥

Asmaa, who is also the Assistant Director of the Qatar Organ Donation Centre, added: 鈥淚 am proud that my country is investing in developing research skills and knowledge in organ donation. I want to find the gap between knowledge and practice in different faith and ethnic communities, and to see if there is any type of intervention I can bring about to improve organ donation in Qatar.鈥

Professor Randhawa is recognised as an expert on the topic of organ donation and has published numerous educational books on the subject, as well as recently being invited to take part in the UK government鈥檚 All-Party Parliamentary Group for Ethnicity Transplantation and Transfusion.

Earlier this year, he also on ITV鈥檚 Good Morning Britain to reiterate the importance of increasing the number of registered minority organ donors in the UK.

Professor Riadh Fahil, Director of the Qatar Organ Donation Centre, explained why this new project is beneficial to the country: 鈥淲e have a longstanding relationship with Professor Randhawa in recognition of his 30-year track record as a world-leading researcher on organ donation and public engagement. His latest book will help us to develop best practices in public engagement and help us increase our organ donation rates in Qatar.

鈥淢any Gulf countries follow similar healthcare systems as the UK and are seeking to increase their organ donation rates. In the past 10 years there has been an increase of organ donation in the UK. It is important for us to learn the various strategies used to mirror this success and overcome some of the barriers in Qatar.鈥

Click to find out more about Professor Randhawa鈥檚 new book and how to purchase a copy.

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