“Hayat” saves 2,091 patients through human organ transplantation

The National Program for Donation and Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues “Hayat” revealed yesterday at the World Health Exhibition – Dubai 2026 “WHX” that it has contributed to saving the lives of 2,091 patients in the Emirates and other countries, which reflects the great status and achievements that the UAE enjoys in the medical field. The program’s data also showed a 31% growth in the number of actual donors until the end of last year.

During the first day of the exhibition, Emirates Today monitored specific projects that consolidate the country’s position as a major player on the global health innovation map, as the Emirates Health Services Corporation revealed a research project that is the first of its kind in the world to develop a targeted gene therapy to treat autism spectrum disorders, resulting from iron accumulation in the brain, in partnership with the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, which reflects the country’s trend towards adopting future medical solutions and providing them to patients in the country. The project represents a glimmer of hope and real good news for families, and the Ministry of Health and Community Protection reviewed the technologies Irrigating vital organs, which enhances their readiness for transplantation and increases the chances of success, as Emirates Health announced the artificial intelligence agent, “Maitha”.

The Chairman of the National Committee for Organ Donation and Transplantation in the UAE, Dr. Ali Al Obaidli, said that participation in the activities of the World Health Exhibition – Dubai 2026 “WHX” came under the “Emirates Health” platform, indicating that this participation reflects new achievements achieved by the UAE in the health sector, especially at the level of national programs.

He added to Emirates Today that a large number of national programs are being reviewed during the conference, including the National Organ Donation and Transplantation Program “Hayat,” stressing that this program was the result of unlimited support from the wise leadership, which contributed to enhancing public confidence in it, as it is a humanitarian program directed to all those living in the UAE.

He pointed out that the UAE includes more than 200 nationalities, and that the program is directed to everyone without exception, pointing out that statistics show the participation of more than 57 nationalities of donors or recipients, including Emiratis, Arabs, different nationalities, and from multiple religions and cultures, which makes it a humanitarian model that reflects the integration between humanity, leadership, and sustainability, with the support of wise leadership, and the scientific, legislative, and logistical empowerment that the state has provided for this program.

Al-Obaidli stated that the UAE has invested during the last period in ensuring the sustainability of the program, by training medical personnel and qualifying them according to the foundations of this program, noting the country’s participation in many conferences outside the country, in addition to hosting local conferences in which experts from various countries of the world participate, which was reflected in very encouraging results.

He explained that a society characterized by coexistence and tolerance, when it learns about the program transparently, is more confident in participating in it, pointing out that statistics showed a 31% growth in the number of organ donors in the country until the end of 2025, explaining that this percentage reflects the number of actual donors, not just those registered.

He stressed that the program contributed to saving the lives of a large number of patients within the UAE, as the number of people whose lives were saved reached 1,663 patients. In addition, the program contributed to saving the lives of patients in neighboring countries, as 257 people benefited in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and received organ transplants that were sourced from the UAE, in addition to 153 cases in the State of Kuwait in which organs were transplanted within the country, in addition to a large number of other nationalities, especially cases that require complex and multiple transplants.

He pointed out that the UAE now has extensive experience in complex transplants, such as lung and liver transplants, liver and kidneys, or kidneys and pancreas, explaining that 59 cases of complex double transplants have been performed within the country so far.

Al-Obaidli said that the UAE Program for Donation and Organ Transplantation is a humanitarian program directed to all groups living in the country, in addition to being a humanitarian responsibility that requires cooperation with the countries to which these nationalities belong. He pointed out that delegations from outside the country, including delegations from Malaysia and other countries, are being received to learn about the UAE’s experience in this field, stressing that actual donations are constantly increasing.

With regard to raising awareness, he explained that the UAE’s philosophy is based on gradually spreading awareness, starting first within the medical sector to ensure the sustainability of the program, then moving on to inform the rest of the community, pointing out that the basic message directed to the public revolves around prevention, following a healthy, long-term lifestyle, and identifying the risks of organ failure and its causes, enabling a person to avoid reaching advanced stages of kidney, liver, heart, or pulmonary failure.

He added that the program is not limited to agriculture only, but rather includes a preventive aspect, and an aspect concerned with preserving and restoring life and improving its quality through organ transplantation.

The Emirates Health Services Corporation revealed a pioneering research project to develop targeted gene therapy for autism spectrum disorders resulting from iron accumulation in the brain, in a step considered the first of its kind in the world, in an academic partnership with the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in the United States, which reflects the country’s trend towards adopting future medical solutions and providing them to patients in the Emirates.

Pediatrician at Al Qassimi Hospital for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Children, Dr. Najoud Al Zaabi, told Emirates Today that the project is still in its early research stages, but it represents a real glimmer of hope for families, with expectations that the features of the transition to the clinical stages will become clear and that work on the project will be completed within the next five years, if the scientific and regulatory requirements are completed. She explained that the project targets BPAN disease, which is one of the forms of rare neurodegenerative disorders associated with the accumulation of iron in the brain, and often appears in girls at an early age.

She pointed out that the disease appears in childhood in the form of symptoms on the autism spectrum and epileptic seizures, before developing in later stages to include signs of Parkinsonism and cognitive deterioration that may lead to dementia.

She added that the proposed therapeutic approach depends on identifying the genetic mutation causing the disease and working to correct, replace, or silence it, using a modified viral envelope that has a higher ability to target brain tissue, which may increase the efficiency of treatment, reduce the required doses, and improve safety levels.

She pointed out that the success of this path in the future may open the door to broader applications that include other hereditary neurological diseases, stressing that the work is being carried out in close cooperation with experts at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, as they provide continuous scientific and technical support, while renewing research agreements periodically.

She explained that the disease is classified as a rare genetic condition, but there are a number of diagnosed patients in the country, some of whom are currently receiving care within the Foundation’s facilities after the infection was confirmed through accurate genetic tests.

She explained that once we move to the clinical trial stage and obtain international regulatory approvals, we will work to provide the opportunity for the country’s patients to participate in these studies, in coordination with specialized research centers. Al Zaabi confirmed that the treatment is still under development, but the Foundation is keen to convey hope to patients and their families by investing in advanced research, and striving to reach solutions that may carry curative therapeutic potential in the future.

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A new technique for perfusing the heart, liver, and lungs with the aim of prolonging the vitality of organs for transfer to patients

The Ministry of Health and Community Protection reviewed the vital organ perfusion technology project, as one of the advanced medical solutions supporting the National Program for Donation and Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues “Hayat.” The device allows maintaining the activity of organs outside the human body by pumping blood or nutrient solutions and supplying them with oxygen and the appropriate temperature, ensuring that the heart or liver remains in a stable functional state until the time of transplantation, which reflects the state’s trend towards employing medical technology to save patients and give them safer and more effective treatment opportunities.

The organ perfusion device works as a biological simulation platform for blood circulation, as it provides a vital environment that enables medical teams to monitor functional performance indicators of the organ, and measure fluid flow, oxygenation levels, and the degree of vital response before transplantation, which raises the success rates of operations and reduces the possibility of rejection or complications. It also allows the possibility of re-evaluating some organs that were previously excluded, which contributes to expanding the base of beneficiaries of transplant operations and improving the quality of life for patients within an accurate scientific framework based on the latest international medical practices.

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“Metha”… a new artificial intelligence agent to attract nurses to work in the Emirates

The Emirates Health Services Corporation reviewed the “Metha” project, which is a new artificial intelligence agent that specializes in attracting nursing competencies, from all over the world, to work in the Emirates Health Services Corporation.

Director of the Foundation’s Nursing Department, Dr. Sumaya Al-Balushi, told Emirates Al-Youm that the project is currently being worked on and allows health institutions to access nursing competencies from anywhere in the world, evaluate them, and determine their suitability to the needs of various health authorities.

She explained that the “Metha” project enables institutions to accurately determine the required skills and competencies, as it conducts virtual interviews with male and female candidates and evaluates their professional capabilities based on work requirements, whether in the fields of intensive care, emergency, or other specializations. She pointed out that the system determines the appropriate questions for each specialty and analyzes the answers to show the candidate’s readiness to work in the required field. She indicated that the project was actually launched and was implemented in the Emirates Health Services Corporation, where it included an analysis of the institution’s current nursing competencies, She explained that the second phase of the project will focus on attracting candidates from outside the country, by conducting interviews remotely using video and artificial intelligence techniques, which will contribute to reducing the number of traditional interviews and being satisfied with a short list of candidates according to pre-defined criteria.