H.E. Abdul Rahman Bin Mohammed Al Owais, Minister of Health and Prevention (MoHAP), stressed that the UAE and Saudi Arabia are the only two countries in the region that provide organ transplant services. Thanks to their constant coordination and cooperation, both countries have achieved milestones in the organ transplantation field, added the minister.

He revealed that there are future plans to connect all organ transplant centres in the region using an online network.The minister made these remarks on the occasion of opening the Human Organs and Tissues Transplantation Centre at Al Qassimi Hospital, Sharjah.

“We have noticed a growing number of people interested in donating their organs in the UAE and we therefore decided to open the Human Organs and Tissues Transplantation Centre in Sharjah”, he further said.

The decision was also taken following the positive results achieved by the ministry’s App “Hayat”, which is linked to national organ donation programme launched by H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai,” Al Owais added.

For his part, H.E. Dr. Mohammad Salim Al Olama, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health and Prevention, stressed the importance of the centre, being the ministry’s first of its kind in the UAE.He aldo added that the national organ donation programme constitutes a sustainable solution for a large number of patients who would restore hope in a healthier life. The centre will be the UAE’s sixth facility licensed to conduct organ transplant operations. The five others include Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, Mediclinic Dubai and Al Jalila Children's Specialty Hospital and Dubai Hospital, Al Olama added.

H.E. Dr. Youssif Al Serkal, Assistant Undersecretary for the Ministry’s Hospitals Sector stated that the opening of this centre is yet another qualitative addition to the ministry’s healthcare services as it would help mitigate the pain of thousands of patients, alleviate the burden on hospitals, cut down financial costs borne by the country and society, and stimulate medical tourism in the country.

He noted that the UAE adopts the best global practices in the field of organ transplantation and provides state-of-the-art infrastructure for health facilities and qualified medical carders to ensure the success of transplantation.