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Wed, Nov 12, 2025 | Jumada al-Awwal 21, 1447 | Fajr 05:14 | DXB 
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UAE: How organ donation is 'changing the future' with medical advancements
'I'm not a policy maker, I'm not a doctor, but my life has changed because of the transplant that happened', said one recipient
Nada Al Ammari received the gift of life in the form of a pancreas and kidney transplant, which came under the UAE’s Hayat programme — and it has been nothing short of transformative.
Speaking from among the audience during the Abu Dhabi Global Health Week at a session titled, 'The new era of organ transplantation', Al Ammari shared her moving journey from illness to healing, emphasising that the medical advances discussed at the event are not just about innovation, but about impact.
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“What is happening today does not only change or affect the medical future,” she said to the other attendees and panelists, “but it’s about changing the future of people like me. Thank you, I am forever grateful.”
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Her story wasn’t just inspiring, it anchored the event in reality, reminding everyone that behind every transplant is a life reclaimed.
“I'm not a policy maker, I'm not a doctor, but my life has changed because of the transplant that happened. What's more important to me than the organ transplant is that knowing that it came from people who were selfless. One of them was my brother who selflessly gave me his kidney. I'm sure this teaches all of us what true love means. It comes from courage…it comes from wanting life to continue,” added the 38-year-old UAE national.
Community support
At the podium, Dr Rashed Al Suwaidi, Director-General of Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre, stressed that sharing real-life stories from donors, recipients, and their families is a powerful way to change mindsets and encourage community support for organ donation.
He said that building public awareness in a culturally responsive way requires a multi-pronged approach. It involves respecting diverse faiths, traditions, and concerns while taking a strategic approach.
Al Suwaidi added that one of the most important elements is community-centred education and outreach. This can be achieved in a number of ways— first, by delivering targeted or tailored messages using recreational theory, keeping in mind the values, traditions, and language of each community, he said.
“Misconceptions still exist, and trusted leaders must help clarify things."
He added: "The UAE is achieving strong results particularly in kidney and liver transplants.”
Experts also advised that healthcare professionals must be trained to handle sensitive conversations effectively, and every transplant hospital should have a diverse organ donation team to support and grow the donor registry.
Dr Ali Abdul Kareem Al Obaidli, Chairman of the UAE National Transplant Committee, said, “When we gain the trust of the public that with full transparency, that everybody is part of this programme…because 55 nationalities (so far) either donated or benefited. Our law says everybody is equal, regardless of ethnicity, religion, social or financial status. So, inclusion and building a strong foundation is a key pillar.”
He added, “You have to work together. That’s because this is a complex field that requires the onboarding of the medical community, the logistics, the airport, society, and somehow anybody — most people — have a soft heart about this. The public surprises us sometimes about how kind they are to each other.”
‘Comparable to the best in the world’
Notably, last year in the UAE, 110 families agreed to organ donation, enabling 356 individuals to receive life-saving transplants. The country is home to eight transplant centres, offering 12 different types of organ transplants.
The organ transplant law was introduced in the UAE in 2016 and since then, doctors have been encouraging people to register and pledge to donate their organs in the event of their death.
As per the UAE regulations, donors need to have expressed their interest in donating through the official means of registration and verification.
Dr Georges-Pascal Haber, CEO of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi said, “It’s also important to look at the quality and the outcomes from transplant. When we look at our quality in Abu Dhabi…the quality and the outcomes of transplant is equivalent, if not better, than top medical centres in Europe and in the US, and that's how we push the boundaries further. The reason we were able to do this is because we continuously innovate and we're continuously looking at how we can improve. The reason we're able to innovate is by attracting talents. Every type of transplant that is being done in the world is being done here.”
Nandini Sircar
Nandini Sircar has a penchant for education, space, and women's narratives. She views the world through a prism of learning: whether it's the earthly pursuit of wisdom or the unearthly mysteries of space. In her written universe, women and children take centre stage.
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