UAE Records 1,026 Organ Transplants Since 2024

Dubai: (News Desk) – The United Arab Emirates carried out 1,026 organ transplant procedures between the beginning of 2024 and the end of June 2026, reflecting significant growth in the country’s transplantation programme.

Dr Ali Abdulkarim Al Obaidli, Chairman of the National Committee for Organ Transplantation, said 352 transplants were performed in 2024, while the number increased to 452 in 2025. A further 222 procedures were conducted during the first six months of 2026.

Speaking on the sidelines of the third EHS International Critical Care, Organ Donation and Transplantation Conference in Dubai, Dr Al Obaidli said transplant recipients included patients requiring kidney, liver, heart and lung transplants, as well as those in need of multiple-organ procedures.

He said deceased organ donation also recorded a significant rise in 2025. A total of 149 deceased donors helped save the lives of 451 patients requiring organ transplants during the year, taking the UAE’s deceased-donor rate to 13 donors per million people.

The 222 transplants performed during the first half of 2026 included kidney, liver, heart and other organ procedures, further highlighting the expansion of the country’s transplant capacity.

Dr Al Obaidli clarified that the reported 35 per cent increase referred specifically to deceased organ donations between 2024 and 2025.

The UAE’s transplant network has also expanded, with nine hospitals now providing kidney transplant services and five offering liver transplantation. One hospital currently provides multi-organ transplant procedures, while any further expansion will be determined by the relevant health authorities.

The National Committee for Organ Transplantation works closely with the National Centre for Donation and Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues, with both institutions sharing expertise and responsibilities in implementing the national transplantation programme.

Regional cooperation is also becoming an important part of the UAE’s strategy. Dr Al Obaidli highlighted collaboration with Kuwait, saying many Kuwaiti patients who previously travelled to Europe or the United States for treatment can now receive transplant-related care in the UAE.

He said the UAE supports greater cooperation among countries in organ donation and transplantation, in line with World Health Organization recommendations issued in 2024 for a more coordinated international approach.

The UAE also supported this approach at a workshop held alongside the World Health Assembly in Geneva in May 2026, where efforts focused on strengthening international cooperation and sharing expertise.

Dr Al Obaidli further said the UAE’s comprehensive health insurance system includes provisions aimed at facilitating organ donation and transplantation.

He added that the national programme is not limited to treating patients suffering from organ failure but also seeks to empower individuals and donors’ families to exercise their right to donate organs and potentially save other lives.