The Ministry of Health in the United Arab Emirates announced the legalization of the status of donation and transplantation of human organs and tissues, and the entry into force of this decision legally.
The National Committee said that the exchange donation of human organs and tissues will soon be implemented in the UAE, as the decision encompasses non-related individuals as well as all legally prescribed organs.
Donating organs without receiving any other benefits
The National Committee said that the UAE's health sector will witness organ donation among non-relatives, but only if there is no other advantage.
The individual donates a human organ, and the medical team is free to select the proper patient for whom the organ can be transplanted.
Organ donation and transplantation are now covered within the health insurance system
According to the Medical Committee's announcement, recent decisions included the inclusion of donation and organ transplantation in the health insurance system, in accordance with specified protocols and mechanisms established with insurance companies and the State Insurance Authority.
As a result, the UAE is among the world's leading countries in offering long-term solutions in this industry.
The UAE aims to expand organ donation and transplantation
Dr. Ali Al-Obaidly, Chairman of the National Committee for Donation and Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues, confirmed that the country's health authorities are preparing for another qualitative breakthrough in the field of procedures, as well as the expansion of organ donation and transplantation.
He also stated at the annual UAE Congress for Organ Donation and Transplantation that the UAE Organ Donation and Transplantation Program was rated the best and fastest developing and growing program in the world, based on the performance improvement index and the high percentage of post-mortem donors per million people.
According to the results of the International Association for Organ Donation conference in the United States, organ donation and transplantation in the UAE have increased by 417% over the last five years.
Reciprocal Donation in the UAE
Dr. Ali Al-Obaidli stated that "altruistic donation," also known as reciprocal donation, will take effect in the near future and gradually, especially given the UAE's unlimited support from the state and members of society following its classification as the world's fastest growing organ donation program.
He defined this type of organ donation as empowering society to donate among non-relatives, citing the presence of a dedicated committee constituted to research the best international practices in this regard.
Al-Obaidli emphasized that the "altruistic" donation will be undirected, which means that the individual will donate the organ and the medical team will select the suitable recipient to whom the human organ will be transplanted. He emphasized that "altruistic donation" refers to all sorts of organs that are legally permissible, and that both the donor and the recipient must undergo thorough medical evaluations. There will be a doctor for the giver and a doctor for the receiver to ensure neutrality, as the program will guide this donation to the beneficiaries.
Studying the controls of reciprocal donations to countries around the world
He noted that this form of donation necessitates the same procedures as a reciprocal donation, emphasizing that numerous experiences in this field are now being researched in countries that have come before us.
He confirmed that the country has seven hospitals qualified for organ transfer and transplantation that specialize in various organs, and that there is permanent and continuous coordination. He also stated that all dialysis patients are eligible for transplantation unless there is a medical impediment, and that the waiting list is currently unified.
