University’s Transplant Program has registered 11 successful organ operations on 4 children and 7 adults

Officials and parents urged people to register for donation through the Hayat initiative

Dubai, March 18, 2020: Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU) is  committed to improving health in the UAE and beyond; to date MBRU has successfully completed 11 organ transplants, in collaboration with Mediclinic City Hospital and Al Jalila Children’s Specialty Hospital (AJCH), who all work hand-in-hand with the Ministry of Health and Prevention’s (MoHAP) National Transplant Program. 

The transplants have been performed on four children and seven adults who were diagnosed with kidney failure, following the objective of the MBRU Transplant Program which was launched in 2016 in line with national efforts to enhance health services in the UAE. Through the program, MBRU aims to advance health by directly impacting patients’ lives and improving the sector in the UAE, while helping position the UAE as a prominent destination for organ transplantation. In 2016, MBRU successfully carried out the first kidney transplant surgery in Dubai in collaboration with Mediclinic City Hospital on a 29 -year-old Emirati woman who had kidney failure due to diabetes. The mother of two needed to undergo four hours hemodialysis, three times a week prior to surgery. 

The successful transplants are a tribute to the commitment and support of the UAE Government in approving an organ transplant law and donation scheme, the Hayat initiative, and the steadfast commitment of healthcare institutions and stakeholders to the potentially life-changing program. 

Arun Kumar Tavva and Keerti, Devisri’s parents, selflessly donated their daughter’s organs which impacted the lives of three people in the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Devisri died at the age of six from pulmonary hypertension and heart issues, one of her kidneys went to seven-year-old Adam who had been on dialysis for five years. Now, Adam can attend school for the first time and enjoy a normal life of a young child his age.

Devisri's parents expressed their pride in seeing Adam living a healthy life and stressed the importance of sharing such experiences with the community to highlight how such initiatives can save lives. Adam’s parents, who are medical professionals themselves, spoke of their immense trust in the UAE’s healthcare system, they stressed how the efficient system in place transformed their son’s life. 

The meeting was also attended by Adam’s surgeon, Dr. Farhad Janahi, assistant professor at the College of Medicine, MBRU, who was part of a team of physicians who successfully performed the transplant. 

Nujood Al Khloofi, Director of Communication and External Relations, MBRU, and National Coordinator in the National Transplant Committee said, “This marks a special moment in our efforts to advance health in the UAE and the region. We remain in awe of the selflessness of Devisri’s family and their decision to save the lives of others despite their grief. Organ donation and transplantation is one of the few humane initiatives that brings all the community together working passionately day and night simply to save lives. Numerous authorities and individuals play a role in the success of organ donation and transplantation efforts in the UAE and we’re extremely thankful for everything that they do. I’m honored that MBRU is the first academic institution in the UAE to have a transplant program and grateful to MoHAP for its trust and continuous work with us in this regard. An integrated academic health system is what MBRU continues to envision as a necessity to improve health outcomes in the UAE, and the MBRU Transplant Program is an example of that.”

 “Today’s event is also a tribute to the successful efforts in raising awareness of the importance of organ donation in changing lives and ensuring a bright future for those in need. The program is succeeding and we will continue to build on our efforts,” added Al Khloofi , who urged the people of the UAE to register on the Hayat application, which plays an important role in giving hope to people and granting them the right to live a healthy life.