World Organ Donation Day: UAE marks first organ transplant at a private hospital in northern emirates

Sharjah: As the UAE observes the World Organ Donation Day today, August 13, the country is marking a milestone in the history of organ donation in the northern emirates.

Medcare Hospital Sharjah has become the first private hospital in the northern emirates to perform a successful living donor kidney transplant, marking the recent launch of its new Organ Transplant Centre.

The milestone procedure that was announced just ahead of the World Organ Donation Day, was performed for an international patient who travelled to the UAE specifically for the surgery, reflecting the country's growing reputation as a hub for complex, specialised healthcare.

According to the hospital, the patient arrived in the UAE accompanied by their donor, with organ matching and compatibility assessments carried out at the same centre in line with guidance from the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP).

The donor nephrectomy was performed using one of the world's most advanced robotic surgical systems, the hospital said.

The minimally invasive technique was designed to reduce scarring and support faster recovery for the donor, with a focus on offering transplants through cutting-edge technology.

The transplant surgery was led by Dr Gourab Sen and Dr Johns Shaji Mathew, with the donor procedure carried out by Dr Mathew, consultant gastrointestinal and transplant surgeon.

The transplant nephrology team was led by Dr Ishthiaque Ahamed, while the anaesthesiology team was led by Dr George Jacob Malayil, supported by critical-care specialists, nurses and allied healthcare staff.

The team brings together more than two decades of international experience from India, the UK and the UAE, with a combined record of over 1,000 abdominal transplants spanning liver, kidney and pancreas procedures.

Both the donor and recipient have since been discharged and are continuing post-transplant follow-up, the hospital said.

The recipient, a woman who received a new lease on life, expressed her gratitude:

“Receiving a kidney transplant has given me a new sense of hope and a chance to look forward to the future with renewed confidence. I am deeply grateful to my family, the medical team, and everyone who supported me throughout this journey. The care, compassion, and dedication shown by the transplant team made a difficult journey easier for me and my family. Today, I feel fortunate to have been given this opportunity to move forward with my life," she said.

Alisha Moopen, managing director and group CEO of Aster DM Healthcare, said the launch supported the group's ambition to make advanced clinical care more accessible across the UAE, the region and internationally

“We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Sharjah Health Authority (SHA) and the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP) for their continued support in establishing this programme in the Emirate of Sharjah. Our vision extends beyond kidney transplantation. We are building the expertise and clinical ecosystem required to expand organ transplant services in the near future,” she added.

Dr Shanila Laiju, group chief executive officer of Medcare Hospitals & Medical Centres, said completing the first transplant and launching the Transplant Centre marked a defining moment for the organisation. She said the fact that the first patient travelled from overseas showed the confidence being placed in the UAE's healthcare system.

Dr Gourab Sen, director of the hepatobiliary unit and transplant services at Medcare Hospital Sharjah, said kidney transplantation is a complex pathway that begins long before surgery and continues throughout the recipient's life.

He said the centre has been built around internationally recognised transplant practices, with emphasis on patient selection, donor safety, infection prevention, immunosuppression management and long-term graft monitoring.

Dr Jishan Mathadil, COO of Medcare Hospital Sharjah Cluster, called the transplant a proud milestone and reaffirmed the hospital's commitment to expanding healthcare services across Sharjah and the northern emirates.

The Medcare Transplant Programme brings together expertise across transplant surgery, nephrology, hepatology, urology, anaesthesia, intensive care, radiology, pathology, infectious diseases, immunology, rehabilitation and long-term patient management, with plans to expand organ transplant services further in future.

World Organ Donation Day is observed on 13 August each year to raise awareness of the importance of organ donation and address misconceptions around organ and tissue donation. The UAE marks the day by highlighting its efforts to regulate organ donation processes in line with high medical and ethical standards.

The country’s National Programme for Donation and Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues  (Hayat) has contributed to over 1,195 organ transplant procedures since its launch in 2017, according to the Ministry of Health and Prevention.