HMC Consultant elected President of the Pan Arab Liver Transplant Society

The leading role played by Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) and Qatar in the field of liver transplant medicine was recognized by the Pan Arab Liver Transplant Society (PALTS) with the recent election of Dr. Hatem Khalaf, Senior Consultant at HMC, as the organization’s president. 

“This spectacular success is due to the boundless support that the Qatar Center for Organ Transplant receives from the wise leadership of Qatar, especially from Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser,” said Dr Khalaf. 

Dr. Khalaf also commended the ongoing cooperation among GCC countries in sharing expertise and knowledge, and mentioned that these countries are also jointly benefiting from their collaboration on organ transplant initiatives. He spoke further about the agreement between HMC and the International Society for Organ Donation and Procurement, which will soon proceed to Doha to assist in the establishment of a Donors’ Registration Program. 

Responding to a question on the foundation of the society, Dr. Khalaf said, “The Pan Arab Liver Transplant Society was founded in 2006 at the initiative of three doctors: Dr. Ibrahim Mustafa from Egypt, Dr. Mohamed Sabeel from Saudi Arabia, and myself. The PALTS’s current membership is 300 physicians representing more than 29 liver transplant centers from all over the Arab region.” 

The PALTS has created a special web page where over 1,000 renowned liver transplant experts from all over the world share their knowledge and expertise. The Society has also established a register of all patients who underwent liver transplant procedure in the Arab countries. 

Dr. Khalaf added that the Society has organized five congresses in different countries in the region, namely, Cairo, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Tunisia and Doha.