A Saudi scholarship student has recently launched a humanitarian initiative in Halifax, Canada, for donation of stem cells to minority groups, sabq.com online paper has reported.
Dr. Mohammad Al-Mohammadi, who was sent by the National Guard to Canada to conduct advanced studies in blood diseases and the implantation of stem cells, said that many of those who are infected with blood diseases may need stem cell implants, but find this difficult as they do not belong to European origins and therefore may not find donors that match their needs.
The Saudi researcher attributed this problem to the poor representation of this minority category of people (non-Europeans) at the national registry of donors in Canada, as well as internationally.
He said that most of donor registries were concentrated in developed countries where non-European minorities live and work and, accordingly, their representation in the organ donor registries becomes less frequent.
Based on the above, Al-Mohammadi launched his campaign by forming a team from a group of scholarship students of various medical, engineering and administrative areas.
The team intends to provide a good image of Islamic and Saudi culture, and want to stress the importance of stem cell donation and correct a lot of misconceptions in this regard.
Al-Mohammadi also established web pages and forums that focus on the issue under the supervision of the Canadian organizations concerned with the registration of donors. The campaign reportedly drew a high turnout from the Canadian community, including both Muslims and non-Muslim of different ethnicities.
Nagwa Mousa, a medical expert, said this initiative comes as proof of the creativity and intelligence of islamic thinking, hoping that one day the initiative will be applied all across the Arab world.
Saudi student takes initiative for stem cells donation in Canada
