The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi collaborates with Pure Health on organ and tissue donation in Abu Dhabi

The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), the regulator of the healthcare sector in the emirate and Pure Health, the largest integrated healthcare network in the UAE, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to collaborate and promote organ and tissue donation efforts and initiatives in Abu Dhabi. The MoU followed the launch of Abu Dhabi’s community campaign supporting the National Programme for Organ Donation and Transplantation, "Hayat".

In the presence of HE Abdulla bin Mohammed Al Hamed, Chairman of DoH and Farhan Malik, Chief Executive Officer of Pure Health, the agreement was signed by H.E. Dr. Jamal Mohammed Al Kaabi, the Undersecretary of DoH and Shaista Asif, Group Chief Operating Officer of Pure Health, on the side-lines of the International Conference for Initiatives on Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation, underway in Abu Dhabi, from November 7, 2022.

Earlier, the conference had witnessed the launch of the Abu Dhabi community campaign in support of The National Programme for Organ Donation and Transplantation, "Hayat", by HE Al Hamed. The campaign aims to encourage society members to register as organ and tissue donors, contributing to improving the quality of life of patients suffering from organ failure. H.E. Abdulla bin Mohamed Al Hamed was the first to register as an organ and tissue donor in the campaign.

As per the MoU,  Pure Health will manage all logistical operations related to organ donation and transplantation in Abu Dhabi under the supervision of DoH. In addition to developing an efficient and flexible operating system that ensures that the program is running smoothly and at capacity in the Emirate.

HE Dr. Jamal Mohammed Al Kaabi, the Undersecretary of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH) stated: “As the regulator of the healthcare sector in the emirate, the Department of Health - Abu Dhabi, under the wise leadership of the UAE, continues to unify the efforts of national institutions to advance the health and safety of communities in Abu Dhabi and beyond. Organ donation and transplantation are among the top priorities for the Department, and we are keen to support the efforts made by the Emirate to expand the scope of operations for organ and tissue donation to enhance the availability of organs to those in need. The limited number of donors and thus, organs, is one of the greatest challenges facing transplant programmes globally.  Therefore, we urge all members of society to learn more about the programme and to take the initiative to register on the “Hayat” platform, to contribute to saving and improving the lives of those around them.”

In her comments, Shaista Asif, Group Chief Operating Officer of Pure Health, said: “The visionary leadership of the UAE has always strived to provide the best of healthcare to all residents in the UAE, and the government has taken all possible steps to develop and regulate the necessary infrastructure to achieve this vision. This includes a proactive approach to improve and facilitate organ donation and transplantation services in the country. In line with this, Pure Health’s MoU with the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi assumes great significance, considering not only the hasty response to organ failure that this will facilitate but also ensuring a safe organ donation and transplantation process right here in Abu Dhabi. We are privileged to collaborate with DoH -- Abu Dhabi to establish the Organ and Tissue Donation Organising Division and ensure its operational success.”

Shaista added: “This MoU is aligned with our ‘healthcare of the future’ philosophy, one that aims to create an ecosystem that challenges lifespans and reimagines health-spans in the country.  As a leading healthcare group, Pure Health aims to achieve this by working with all relevant stakeholders in the country to enable the public their right to organ and tissue donation as one of the symbols of human solidarity and coexistence - to save lives through informed decision-making. We will work closely with the DoH and the National Programme for Organ Donation and Transplantation and adopt creative operational, partnership initiatives in line with the best international quality, efficiency, and ethical standards.”

Through the MoU, both parties will work alongside healthcare facilities in the emirate to raise their operational capacity and improve capabilities through training programmes and the management of donor and recipient lists. These responsibilities will be in addition to coordinating efforts among all concerned parties for organ donation regionally and internationally.

PureHealth, under the supervision of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, will launch community outreach and awareness programmes and initiatives on the importance of organ donation and transplantation. The MoU enables relevant data collection and scientific research in areas related to the development of organ transplantation technologies and innovations in the emirate.

The National Programme for Donation and Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissue, ‘Hayat’ is a national system to enhance efforts for the donation and transplantation of human organs and tissues in accordance with the highest international standards and practices.  Working in coordination with various strategic partners locally and globally to save lives, it continues to improve the health and safety of the community and improve the quality of life. The programme is a synergy of collaborative efforts of many federal and local authorities, including the Ministry of Health and Prevention – UAE, the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, the Dubai Health Authority, the Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA), the Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City and several governmental and private health facilities across the country.

The conference was organised by the National Organ Donation and Transplant Committee, represented by the Ministry of Health and Prevention – UAE, the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, the Dubai Health Authority, health facilities specialising in organ transplantation, and several other federal and local stakeholders. The conference activities were launched with the support of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi as the destination partner, Abu Dhabi Media Company as a media partner and Etihad Airways as the official carrier of the conference, in addition to several healthcare facilities in the Emirate, including PureHealth, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City, Burjeel Medical City, Abu Dhabi Health Services Company "Seha" and Seha Kidney Care and Pure Lab. In addition to this, the community support partners include Emirates Red Crescent, the Authority of Social Contribution ‘Ma’an’, Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre, Abu Dhabi Police, Zayed Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation and Abu Dhabi Sports Council.

The programme invites community members to learn about the importance of organ donation and register on the official website to become a donor, post-mortem, through the website: giftoflifead.ae.

DoH and US-based Eversight partner to establish the country’s first Eye and Tissue Bank

Reiterating the Emirate’s position as a leading destination for healthcare across all fronts, the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), the regulator of the healthcare sector in the Emirate, and US-based Eversight, one of the leading non-profit eye banks in the world, partnered to establish the UAE’s first Eye and Tissue Bank. The Agreement will witness the creation, development and operation of a comprehensive and seamless eye transplantation framework in the UAE.

In attendance of HE Abdulla bin Mohamed Al Hamed, Chairman of DoH and Carrie Wolverton - Global Development Director at Eversight, the partnership was reflected through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which was signed by HE Dr. Jamal Mohammed Al Kaabi, Undersecretary of DoH and Global Director, Development at Eversight.

Through this strategic collaboration, DoH and Eversight will set the building blocks across three phases which include programme design, implementation and management. In its early stages, both entities will focus on implementing the necessary arrangements for the Eye and Tissue Bank - Abu Dhabi to serve as an importer for corneas and other eye-related tissues into the region. In addition to integrating the eye and tissue banking programme into the UAE’s National Programme for Organ Donation and Transplantation. For its part, Eversight will develop a comprehensive medical framework to standardise and operate procedures on all clinical functions within the Eye and Tissue Bank - Abu Dhabi in accordance with international best practices in Abu Dhabi.

HE Dr. Jamal Mohammed Al Kaabi, Undersecretary of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), said: “Under the directives of our wise leadership, Abu Dhabi continues to partner with leading international bodies to elevate its national healthcare operations across all fronts. We are proud to have partnered with Eversight today to establish yet another impactful programme that contributes to maintaining and enhancing lives in the UAE and beyond. Through this partnership, we aim to further improve healthcare outcomes and facilitate quick and seamless operations for all patients in need of eye-tissue transplantation in the UAE.”

Al Kaabi, added: “We encourage all community members to register their consent to donate organs and tissues post-mortem. While we work limitlessly to reiterate Abu Dhabi’s position as a leading destination for healthcare, we empower our community to partake in the journey to excellence through noble and sentimental actions as this.”  

Erik Hellier, Director of Global Development in Eversight, said: “Our vision for the future is to expand our reach, connect more effectively with all communities and provide a life full of sight to anyone in need. Our vision is a world without blindness. This partnership is an enormous step towards that vision. This is the highlight of my 17 years in eye banking and we are very excited for the future.”

Eversight’s mission began in 1947, when the fourth eye bank in the United States (previously known as the Illinois Eye-Bank) was established. Over time as the critical demand for corneal tissue to treat preventable blindness surged, non-profit eye banks were set up in every state. Thirty-eight years later, the Michigan Eye-Bank (established in 1957) and the Illinois Eye-Bank formed a partnership that earned a reputation for clinical excellence which attracted affiliations with other regional eye banks. Fast forward to 2015, the network then became known as Eversight. A unified enterprise bringing the highest quality services to both their patients and surgeons to continue the growth of their impact around the globe.

Held in Abu Dhabi last week, the International Conference for Initiatives on Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation witnessed the launch of the Abu Dhabi community campaign in support of The National Programme for Organ Donation and Transplantation, "Hayat" by H.E. Abdulla bin Mohamed Al Hamed Chairman of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi. The campaign aims to encourage society members to register as organ and tissue donors, contributing to improving the quality of life of patients suffering from organ failure, H.E. being the first to register as an organ and tissue donor in the campaign.

The International Conference for Initiatives on Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation, held in Abu Dhabi from November 7 to 9, 2022 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), aimed to shed light on global experiences and best practices related to the scientific, charitable, societal and legal aspects of organ donation, in addition to raising awareness around healthy living and prevention of disease in the community.

The National Programme for Donation and Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissue, ‘Hayat’ is a national system to enhance efforts for the donation and transplantation of human organs and tissues in accordance with the highest international standards and practices in the United Arab Emirates and the region. Working in coordination with various strategic partners locally and globally to save lives, it continues to improve the health and safety of the community and improve the quality of life. The programme is a synergy of collaborative efforts of many federal and local authorities, including the Ministry of Health and Prevention – UAE, the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, the Dubai Health Authority, the Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA), the Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City and several governmental and private health facilities across the country.

The conference was organised by the National Organ Donation and Transplant Committee, represented by the Ministry of Health and Prevention – UAE, the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, the Dubai Health Authority, health facilities specialising in organ transplantation, and several other local and federal stakeholders. The conference activities were launched with the support of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi as the destination partner, Abu Dhabi Media Company as a media partner and Etihad Airways as the official carrier of the conference, in addition to several healthcare facilities in the Emirate, including Pure Health, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City, Burjeel Medical City, Abu Dhabi Health Services Company "Seha" and Seha Kidney Care and Pure Lab. In addition to Community Support Partners include Emirates Red Crescent, the Authority of Social Contribution ‘Ma’an’, Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre, Abu Dhabi Police, Zayed Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation and Abu Dhabi Sports Council.

The programme invites community members to learn about the importance of organ donation and register on the official website to become a donor post-mortem through the website: giftoflifead.ae.