Abu Dhabi Emerges as Regional Transplant Hub
Abu Dhabi has solidified its position as a leading regional center for organ transplantation, with the UAE capital performing a remarkable 1,090 life-saving transplant surgeries since the launch of its national program. This milestone underscores the emirate’s significant progress in advanced medical care through the Hayat National Program for Donation and Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues.
Launched in 2017, the Hayat program aims to promote human organ and tissue donation in accordance with international standards. The program’s impact is clearly demonstrated by the 290 transplants performed in 2024 alone. These included seven heart transplants, 142 kidney transplants, 117 liver transplants, 22 lung transplants, and two pancreas transplants.
This growth has been fueled by pioneering work at Abu Dhabi’s leading hospitals. Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, the UAE’s first and only multi-organ transplant center, has been instrumental. It achieved the Gulf region’s first robotic lung transplant in July 2025 and performed the UAE’s first combined heart-double lung transplant in October 2024. The center has also pioneered robotic dual kidney transplants and combined liver-kidney and kidney-pancreas transplants.
Other institutions are making groundbreaking contributions. Burjeel Medical City performed the UAE’s first pediatric liver transplant from a living donor. SEHA Sheikh Khalifa Medical City successfully conducted over 114 kidney transplants in 2024 and is actively developing its adult and pediatric liver transplant programs. Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City achieved the UAE’s first transplant using organs from a COVID-19 patient and ranked second among UAE hospitals for utilizing donor organs in 2022.
The collective achievements of these institutions under the Hayat program framework highlight Abu Dhabi’s sophisticated transplant ecosystem. Authorities are urging more UAE residents to register as donors through Hayat, emphasizing that a single donor can save multiple lives. Abu Dhabi’s transformation into a regional transplant hub represents a major advancement in the UAE’s healthcare capabilities and its commitment to providing world-class, life-saving treatment.
Source: Arabian Business
