UAE—Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, a member of the M42 group, has celebrated World Organ Donation Day by becoming the UAE’s first multi-organ transplant clinic.
In their statement, the centre stated that since the program’s inception in 2017, the hospital has successfully done 664 life-saving transplants, each made possible by selfless donors who gave patients the irreplaceable gift of a new and healthy life.
The hospital has seen significant growth in its transplant volume over the years, revolutionizing medical care in the region.
These procedures include kidney, liver, lung, heart, and pancreas transplants, utilizing organs from both living and deceased donors.
The hospital has also achieved several notable firsts in the UAE’s multi-organ transplant landscape, such as pioneering combined lung-liver transplants, liver-kidney transplants, heart-kidney transplants, and kidney-pancreas transplants.
As of July 2024, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi has conducted 131 transplants, with additional procedures planned for the coming months.
This ongoing progress highlights the hospital’s commitment to transforming lives through cutting-edge medical care and a strong dedication to organ donation.
This is in line with the UAE government’s efforts to promote organ donation registration and raise awareness about its life-saving benefits.
The hospital’s continuous expansion of its multi-organ transplant center is reinforced by the dedication of its caregivers, who are certified as organ transplantation coordinators.
Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi also boasts the UAE’s first Intensive Care Unit specifically dedicated to combined solid organ transplants and the nation’s only lung transplant center.
Additionally, the hospital employs the only heart failure-certified nurse outside North America, highlighting its commitment to excellence in patient care.
Reflecting on this achievement, Dr. Bashir Sankari, Chair of the Surgical Subspecialties Institute at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, emphasized that each successful transplant represents a new chapter in a patient’s life.
He credited the dedicated multidisciplinary team for their expertise and commitment, which have made these life-saving procedures possible and brought renewed hope and healing to countless families.
Dr. Sankari also noted that the transplant program not only saves lives but also inspires advancements in medical research and technology.
He reaffirmed the hospital’s commitment to providing the highest standard of care while continuously improving its capabilities to serve the community better and beyond.
Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s success is closely linked to the Hayat initiative, a National Program for Organ Donation and Transplantation led by the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP).
In 2023, the hospital installed its first Hayat booth to raise awareness about organ donation, which has been instrumental in encouraging organ donor registration across the UAE, with MoHAP reporting a total of 26,565 registered donors and more than 4,000 patients currently awaiting donors.
The hospital’s collaboration with Cleveland Clinic U.S. has enabled multidisciplinary teams to pioneer complex related living donor liver and kidney transplants, attracting international patients seeking specialized care.
Earlier this year, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi also led the second edition of The Annual UAE Organ Donation and Transplantation Congress.
This event brought together global organ and tissue donation and transplantation programs, along with healthcare professionals, policymakers, and researchers, to support the implementation of innovative solutions to prevent organ failure.
In partnership with the Ministry of Health and Prevention, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi remains steadfast in its mission to promote organ donation through the Hayat initiative.
This initiative enables UAE residents over 21 years old to register as organ donors in the event of brain death.
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