The first ever organ transplant in Dubai

Dubai - It was transported from Riyadh to Dubai by medical evacuation.

The first ever organ transplant in Dubai has been carried out on a young Emirati mother, who received a kidney from a deceased Saudi donor.

The hours-long surgery on the 29-year-old mother of two was conducted at the Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU) in Dubai Health Care City (DHCC) on June 8, in collaboration with Mediclinic City Hospital.

The Emirati woman, M.A., had suffered kidney failure due to complications from diabetes, and needed to undergo four hours of haemodialysis, three times a week over the last year.

Following the surgery, she said: "Having the confidence that my home country has the expertise to do organ transplantation has brought me much relief, as I could undergo surgery, here at home, surrounded by my loved ones.

"This surgery has given me a new lease on life, giving me the opportunity to try and have a third child after I recover," she said.

The kidney from a deceased donor was provided through the Saudi Centre for Organ Transplantation (SCOT). It was transported from Riyadh to Dubai by medical evacuation.

Several government authorities played a vital role in ensuring the swift and safe transportation of the kidney to Mediclinic City Hospital including Dubai Airports, Dubai Ambulance, Dubai Customs and the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs.

The surgery marks a new era in medicine for Dubai, by paving the way for cadaver transplants as well as donations from close living relatives, as per the UAE Organ Transplant Law. However, this surgery is not the first in the UAE. Shaikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC) has performed hundreds of kidney transplants since 1985.

But it does indicate a new beginning for critically ill patients with kidney disease who will be able to opt for transplants within the UAE. It is estimated that around 2,000 people are on dialysis in the country, half of whom need a transplant.

The surgery - which also launched the MBRU organ transplant programme - was performed by a team led by Dr David Hickey, a well-known transplant surgeon and Former Director of the National Kidney and Pancreas Transplant Programme in Ireland, and Dr Farhad Janahi, Assistant Professor at MBRU and Consultant Urologist and the Mediclinic City Hospital Transplant Team.

"This heralds a new era in surgery in Dubai and gives new hope to many who are reliant on an organ transplant to restore their quality of life," said Christian Schuhmacher, Hospital Director of Mediclinic City Hospital.

Last month, MBRU announced results of the National Survey on Organ Donation and Transplant, which showed that the majority of UAE residents were willing to donate their organs if needed.

asmaalizain@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE
• Dubai