The UAE has emerged as a leading country for organ donation and transplantation. It has established comprehensive systems and regulations to ensure that safe and ethical organ transplantations are carried out to the highest international standards. Organ transplantation surgery can be life-saving for patients with severe, irreversible diseases of the liver, heart, lungs, or kidneys.
The National Hayat Organ Donation Programme, initiated in 2017 by the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP), has gained international recognition for its remarkable success in raising awareness about organ donation. It also encourages organ donor registration. In 2024, 352 donated organs were transplanted, an increase of 22% in comparison to the previous year. In January 2024, the UAE announced that it had achieved over a four-fold increase in the number of organ donations during the previous five years. Over 1000 organ transplants have been carried out in the UAE since the initiation of the Hayat program.
Hospitals in the UAE currently able to perform organ transplants:
Abu Dhabi
- Sheikh Khalifa Medical City Abu Dhabi (SKMC)—kidney (adult and paediatric), liver (adult)
Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, a SEHA flagship tertiary hospital and academic medical center, established the UAE’s first and most comprehensive kidney transplant center. It is the sole provider of pediatric kidney transplant services in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. SKMC now also provides adult liver transplants.
- Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City Abu Dhabi (kidney (adult), haematopoietic stem cell/bone marrow transplant
Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City is part of SEHA and is the UAE’s largest hospital. SSMC has been performing adult kidney transplants since 2021.
- Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi – Multi-organ transplantation centre: kidneys, liver, heart, lungs, pancreas, haematopoietic stem cell/bone marrow transplant
Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi (CCAD), part of the M42 group, is the UAE’s first multi-organ transplantation center, performing a wide range of complex transplant procedures. These include kidney, liver, lung, heart, and pancreas transplants from both living and deceased donors. Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi works closely with the Cleveland Clinic Transplant Center in the US, one of the most comprehensive transplant programs in the world. Since 2017, CCAD has performed over 800 transplants and achieved several UAE firsts. The multi-organ transplants include pioneering procedures such as combined lung–liver transplants, liver–kidney transplants, heart–kidney transplants, and kidney–pancreas transplants. In October 2024, the first-ever combined heart and double lung transplant in the UAE was successfully completed at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.
- Burjeel Medical City Abu Dhabi – liver and kidney, haematopoietic stem cell/bone marrow transplant
Burjeel Medical City, a leading quaternary care hospital in Abu Dhabi, has performed over 17 liver transplants and 27 kidney transplants to date.
Dubai
- Dubai Hospital – kidney (adult)
- Al Jalila Children’s Hospital – kidney (paediatric)
Dubai Health, in the government sector, offers comprehensive kidney transplantation services, with adult kidney transplants carried out at Dubai Hospital. Al Jalila Children’s Hospital conducts pediatric transplants. Since 2018, Dubai Health has performed over 85 kidney transplants, along with providing comprehensive medical care and support tailored to the unique needs of each patient group.
The following private hospitals in Dubai have transplant centers:
- Mediclinic City Hospital Dubai – kidney (adult and paediatric)
The Mediclinic City Hospital transplant program is committed to providing safe, effective, and patient-centered transplant services. The program enjoys a strong and supportive partnership with Mohammed Bin Rashid University (MBRU) and Al Jalila Children’s Specialty Hospital.
- King’s College Hospital Dubai – liver (adult and paediatric)
With cutting-edge technology and advanced surgical techniques, King’s College Hospital London Dubai’s Paediatric and Adult Liver Transplant Centre of Excellence is the leading facility in the region for living donor liver transplants. It is also leading for split cadaveric liver transplants, reduced-size liver transplants, and minimally invasive and microsurgical procedures. These ensure faster recovery and reduced complications. KCH Dubai’s Liver Transplant Centre has strong ties with the world-renowned liver transplant center, King’s College Hospital in London.
- American Hospital Dubai – bone marrow transplants
American Hospital Dubai is the first private hospital in Dubai to offer haematopoietic stem cell/bone marrow transplant
Sharjah
- Al Qassimi Hospital, Sharjah – kidney (adult)
Al Qassimi Hospital, a flagship hospital for the government sector Emirates Health Services, has facilities for adult kidney transplantation.
In conclusion
The number of state-of-the-art organ transplant centers and successful transplantation surgeries in the UAE has been steadily increasing year by year. The UAE regulates and oversees organ transplantation to the highest international standards. While there is still a great need for donated organs, the Hayat Organ Donation initiative has been very successful in raising awareness and increasing the number of registered organ donors. This enables many citizens and residents requiring organ transplants to access this life-saving treatment in the UAE. It also supports those traveling from other countries in the wider Middle East and North Africa region and beyond.
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