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

8 Nov, 2022:

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