The UAE recorded a total of 1,026 organ transplants from the beginning of 2024 to the end of June 2026. Meanwhile, the number of deceased organ donors rose significantly last year.

Dr Ali Abdulkarim Al Obaidli, Chairman of the UAE National Committee for Organ Transplantation, said 352 transplants were performed in 2024, rising to 452 in 2025. A further 222 procedures were carried out in the first half of 2026.

According to Al Obaidli, and as reported by Al Etihad newspaper, the number of deceased donors increased by about 35 per cent between 2024 and 2025, from 110 to 149.

Those 149 donors helped save the lives of 451 patients requiring various organ transplants last year. The UAE has also achieved a rate of 13 deceased donors per million people.

Speaking on the sidelines of the third EHS International Conference on Critical Care, Organ Donation and Transplantation in Dubai, Al Obaidli said recipients included patients requiring kidney, liver, heart and lung transplants, as well as those needing multiple organs transplanted simultaneously.

The 222 transplants performed during the first six months of 2026 also included heart, kidney, liver and other organ transplants.

He stressed that the 35 per cent increase specifically reflected a comparison of deceased organ donation figures in 2024 and 2025. Growth in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period last year has not yet been calculated.

The Chairman of the National Committee for Organ Transplantation also said the UAE’s organ donation and transplantation programme was among the fastest-growing in the field. He cited government support, legislation and regulations, the capacity of healthcare facilities and public participation as key drivers of its expansion.

The UAE’s transplant network has also expanded. Nine hospitals currently provide kidney transplant services, five perform liver transplants and one offers multi-organ transplantation.

Al Obaidli said any further increase in the number of hospitals operating in the field would be determined by the relevant health authorities. The National Committee also works closely with the National Centre for Donation and Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues, with the two entities sharing responsibilities and expertise across the national programme.

Regional co-operation has also become an increasingly important part of the UAE’s approach. Al Obaidli highlighted collaboration with Kuwait, saying many Kuwaiti patients who previously travelled to Europe or the United States for treatment can now receive healthcare services in the UAE through co-operation between the two countries.

He added that the UAE supports greater co-operation and integration between countries in organ donation and transplantation, in line with the World Health Organisation’s 2024 recommendations for a more co-ordinated global strategy.

He said the UAE also backed this approach at a workshop held in May 2026 on the sidelines of the World Health Assembly in Geneva, as part of efforts to expand international co-operation and exchange expertise.

Among other recent developments, Al Obaidli highlighted the UAE’s comprehensive health insurance system, saying it includes regulations designed to support and facilitate organ donation and transplantation.

He stressed that the programme’s broader aim is not only to treat patients with organ failure, but also to give individuals and donor families the opportunity to donate organs and help save the lives of others.