1st UAE Organ Donation Forum Concludes
1st UAE Organ Donation Forum Concludes; National Survey On Transplantation Released: Mohammed Bin Rashid University Of Medicine And Health Sciences
The Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU) announced the successful conclusion of the 1st UAE Organ Donation Forum, which highlighted the latest developments in Organ Transplantation in the GCC and discussed legislations and policies for organ donation, including deceased donation, to drive organ transplantation in the UAE.
The forum, which was held under the patronage of the Chairperson of Dubai Healthcare City Authority HRH Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein, wife of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, also highlighted means to expand organ transplantation services in the UAE.
HE Dr Raja Easa Al Gurg, Vice-Chairperson and Executive Director of Dubai Healthcare City Authority, opened the forum, which was held earlier this month, at the MBRU campus in Dubai Healthcare City.
The forum was attended by more than 50 experts, religious leaders and donors.
The UAE-based survey, ‘The National Survey on Organ Donation and Transplant’, conducted by MBRU to study public awareness, beliefs and attitudes towards organ donation, was presented at the forum to give insight into the demand of organ transplantations in the UAE.
“The MBRU was created in line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed to ‘improve the quality of healthcare services and the health status of the population’. Transplantation clearly improves quality of life and saves lives. Forums such as this one will help us achieve the objective of MBRU, which is to provide integrated medical education and research that is nationally responsive and globally connected,” said HE Dr Al Gurg.
The forum was followed by transplant procurement courses – organized by the Donation and Transplantation Institute in Spain – which were attended by 44 healthcare professionals, representing several entities including the Ministry of Health and Prevention, Health Authority – Abu Dhabi, Dubai Health Authority, Dubai Healthcare City and Ministry of Presidential Affairs.
Dr Amer Ahmad Sharif, Chief Executive Officer, Education Sector, Dubai Healthcare City Authority, said, “Creating a platform such as the 1st UAE Organ Donation Forum to discuss legislations, exchange ideas will help us reduce the gap between the demand and supply of human organs for transplantation.”
The national survey of 500 respondents comprised expatriates and citizens of the UAE above the age of 18.
Speaking about the survey Dr Sharif said “Our survey has identified that about 68 percent of those surveyed were ready to donate in the event they became brain dead which shows that the country is ready for deceased organ transplantation.”
The forum, was builds on the success of the 1st UAE Organ Transplant Summit, organized by the MBRU in 2015, to highlight the increasing global interest in the field of organ transplantation against the growing incidence of diseases that cause organ failure.
Dr Ali Al Obaidli, Chairman of the UAE National Transplant Committee and the forum’s keynote speaker said, “This forum, which was attended by industry experts from the GCC, provided a much-needed platform to discuss means to unify efforts among the organ transplant programs in the region. The UAE has the potential to occupy a prominent place in the field of organ transplantation in light of the improved healthcare services and a strong organ donation culture in the country.”
On the sidelines of the forum, 30 kidney donors were honored at an appreciation ceremony.
Caption: HE Dr Raja Easa Al Gurg, Vice-Chairperson and Executive Director of Dubai Healthcare City Authority with kidney donors, who were honored at the 1st UAE Organ Donation Forum held at the Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, earlier this month.
