Organ transplants from brain dead soon

Dubai: The removing of organs from brain-dead patients for transplants is likely to get the green light within a year, Gulf News has learned.

Roberta Al Housani-Blakely, transplant coordinator at Shaikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC) in Abu Dhabi, made the announcement at the Arab Health Surgical Conference.

The UAE currently allows organ transplants from living donors, who are related to each other either by blood or marriage. Most of these surgeries have involved kidney transplants.

"We feel very strongly that brain-death laws will be passed soon, within this year, hopefully," she told delegates at the conference.

The UAE is the only GCC nation which does not recognise brain death as a legal definition of death, thereby disallowing taking of organs for transplants from such patients. Brain death occurs when an individual no longer has higher brain function due to extensive irreparable damage, even though his or her heart may still be beating.

Al Housani-Blakely said SKMC has already started screening patients and hiring staff who are experts in cadaveric (legally dead, including brain dead) organ transplantation, with the hope that the law will soon be passed. The programme will provide for multi-organ transplants, involving the liver, kidney and pancreas, although the hospital has done renal transplants since February last year.

"We will start with liver transplants (from a dead donor), because the procedure is risky for living donors," she added.

She also said SKMC's decision to set up the programme for cadaveric transplants was not a sudden move.

"We want to be ready. We don't want the law to be passed and then go through the process of setting up the system to do the transplants," she said.

Al Housani-Blakely added recognising brain death was necessary to reduce the number of deaths from botched organ transplant surgeries, after buying organs from the black market.

Dr Saeed Al Shaikh, one who performed the first liver transplant in the UAE, told Gulf News he was happy with the news.

I am very happy to hear this and Ii hope this system of transplant start as soon as possible
Rizwan
Ajman,UAE
Posted: January 31, 2009, 15:02

it is really good to read about this new law n uae,and it will add happiness and hope to lives of many who lost their vital organs.
Saud Abasi
Dubai,UAE
Posted: January 31, 2009, 12:13

This is really good and it will help a lot of people.
Emy Lim Aharul
Karachi,Pakistan
Posted: January 31, 2009, 07:37

Great to get the international news. A a recipient one year ago I am so greatful to the Country of New Zealand. They pay 100 percent of all costs including transportation and support persons housing near the hospital if you live rurally.
Robert DeLong
Gisborne,New Zealand
Posted: January 31, 2009, 05:20

there should be a law which allows organ transplants from brain dead patiebts becuase they have no chance of survival and their organs could be life-saving for others.All religions and believes are based on forgivness,love and peace toward each others.
Hisham
Dubai,UAE
Posted: January 31, 2009, 01:01