Doha Donation Accord (DDA) on the trail of the Declaration of Istanbul (DOI): A local implementation of an international framework to improve organ donation and combat commercialism

Qatar is a small Gulf state of 1.7million multicultural society, Renal Transplantation in Qatar started 1986, but the number of transplants remained low because of lack of donors that pushed most of the ESRD patients to seek commercial transplantation abroad and return back with high complications and mortality. All liver transplantations average 15/year, used to be done abroad. In order to combat commercial transplantation and to develop organ donation and transplantation, HMC the main tertiary health care facility adopted the recommendations of DOI and WHO guiding principles, and extracted what is compatible from the Qatari laws and regulations to launch the DDA in 2010. DDA has succeeded to increase organ donation, and develop transplantation. We recommend it to countries that have comparable demography and socioeconomic status. Local factors should be taken in consideration in implementing the DOI recommendations.