Dubai: The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) has announced the launch of an extensive educational campaign aimed at developing community awareness on kidney diseases and enhancing public understanding on organ donation.
The campaign also seeks to raise awareness about how organ donation can dramatically improve the health of patients with organ failure, and in some instances save their lives.
Launched on the occasion of World Kidney Day (March 10), the campaign is being organised in collaboration with DHA’s various partners, including the Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Mediclinic City Hospital and Al Jalila Children’s Specialty Hospital.
Every year, the DHA marks World Kidney Day by raising awareness on kidney diseases and the latest developments related to advanced diagnostic and treatment techniques for kidney diseases.
Kidney transplantation
The authority’s campaign seeks to provide information to the public on the three medical centres that have been accredited for kidney transplantation in Dubai, which include: Dubai Hospital, Al Jalila Children’s Specialty Hospital, and Mediclinic City Hospital.
Equipped with state-of-the-art facilities featuring the latest technologies used for kidney transplantation, the three centres are staffed with highly-specialised doctors in nephrology, urology, transplant surgery, and kidney transplantation, as well as highly qualified support and nursing personnel and technicians.
Operations at the hospitals are carried out according to international best practices and globally recognised protocols for organ transplantation, DHA said.
Voluntarily register
The campaign aims to encourage people to voluntarily register their organ donation decision. Patients with kidney failure can receive a donation from a living or deceased donor, and although receiving a donation from a living donor can work as a solution, many patients end up being placed on a transplant waiting list due to the lack of a matching donor from their relatives, DHA said, noting that the UAE is working on further developing its paired kidney exchange programme.
The authority said that all members of the community can contribute to saving lives by registering to be organ donors after their death, stressing that one organ donor has the potential to save up to eight people’s lives. All organ donation procedures and transplantation surgeries in Dubai are governed by DHA’s Supervisory Committee for Organ Transplantation.
Community members who wish to become organ donors after their death can register in the Ministry of Health and Prevention’s National Programme for Donation and Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues ‘Hayat’ through a dedicated link.
The Dubai Health Authority works with several relevant authorities in the country to support the Ministry of Health and Prevention’s programme and enhance people’s understanding of the importance of organ donation in saving the lives of patients with organ failure.
DHA expressed its appreciation to the Saudi Centre for Organ Transplantation as well as Dubai Airports, the Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services, the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs - Dubai, Dubai Customs, Dubai Police, Dubai Public Prosecution, Al Jalila Foundation, Dubai Media Incorporated, the Government of Dubai Media Office and Dubai’s Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department, for their role and commitment towards ensuring the success of the wider huminitarian initiative.
