Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi drives UAE’s vision for organ donation at the second edition of The Annual UAE Organ Donation

Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, part of the M42 network, will actively lead the second edition of The Annual UAE Organ Donation and Transplantation Congress as the event’s platinum sponsor. The congress, which is scheduled to run from January 27 - 30, 2024 at the Conrad Hotel in Dubai, is organized by Hayat - The National Programme for Donation and Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissue and endorsed by the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP), the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH) and the Dubai Health Authority (DHA).

Uniting global organ and tissue donation and transplantation programs with healthcare professionals, policy makers and researchers, the event aims to support the implementation of innovative solutions that prevent organ failure. Experts will also highlight best practices in organ and tissue transplantation.

During the upcoming congress, visitors of the Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi booth will have the opportunity to learn about the lives touched in 2023 by the hospital’s transplant program under ‘Hayat’, as well as its latest innovations in the field of organ transplantation.

Dr. Bashir Sankari, Chair of the Surgical Subspecialties Institute and Head of the Transplant Program at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi said, “We take immense pride in our collaboration with the ‘Hayat’ program, contributing to the broader UAE vision of championing organ donation. As a leading multi-organ transplant center in the UAE, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi plays a crucial role in conducting complex surgeries that employ state-of-the-art technology.”

In keeping with its vital role in performing groundbreaking surgeries that integrate cutting-edge technology, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi houses the specialized ICU to provide care for combined solid organ transplants, as well as the only lung transplant program. Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi has also led the first groundbreaking triple kidney swap transplant in the UAE and has pioneered robot-assisted kidney transplants in the country. By the close of 2023, 530 complex transplant procedures have successfully been completed at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi since the program inception in 2017, 192 of which were completed in 2023 alone – 98 liver, 69 kidney and 16 lung transplants in addition to 9 other organs.  

“Through strategic partnerships across the globe and within the healthcare sector, we collectively work toward the noble cause of saving every patient in need of a transplant. Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi is privileged to take on the role of the event’s platinum sponsor, reaffirming its commitment to provide the best outcomes for patients through organ and tissue donation and transplantation,” Dr. Sankari added.  

In addition to sponsoring the event, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s multidisciplinary team of caregivers will guide a host of speaking activities at the congress. Last year, the multispecialty hospital installed a Hayat booth to drive organ donor registration in the UAE, and to educate visitors about the program.