Organ and Tissue Donation Campaign

Have you ever given any thought to how many people are on waiting lists for an organ transplant, or how many transplants were actually done in a year or sadly enough how many of those waiting, died waiting?

Hundreds of thousands of people around the world are waiting for an organ transplant, and thousands die every day waiting...

With the development of new biomedical technologies, organ transplantation has become a widely accepted procedure, and a technologically accessible practice in almost all major medical centers. However, people are still unaware of the process of organ and tissue donation and transplant, of its ethical and religious implications, and of its importance in saving lives.

SCOPH-LeMSIC has taken the initiative, and launched a campaign to promote organ and tissue donation through educating medical students and other students in Lebanon about the topic, and emphasizing the importance of this act, leading to its acceptance. In other words, we believe that by raising public awareness on the importance of organ and tissue donation, we can encourage people to list themselves as potential organ donors.

The campaign which was initiated in February 2004, comprises lectures, round table discussions, assuring an interdisciplinary approach to the issue of organ donation (medical, ethical, legal, religious, financial...), in addition to the distribution of Organ Donation Cards. LeMSIC is collaborating with the National Organization for Organ Donation and Transplantation (NOODT), the Lebanese Order of Physicians, the Ministry of Public Health in Lebanon, and other local clubs and organizations.

Furthermore, collaboration with other IFMSA National Member Organizations is initiated, and hopefully the project is on its way to become an IFMSA Transnational Project.

The first ever SCOPH-LeMSIC Organ Donation campaign was launched in February 2004. During this week-long campaign, an intensive awareness initiative was undertaken, spanning over the entire American University of Beirut community, including the American University Hospital. Organ Donation stands were set up throughout the campus, targeting specifically university-aged youth.   The climax of the campaign was on 23 rd February, with a presentation and discussion of the subject.