Oman Celebrates Organ Donation Day, Highlights Transplant Milestones

Post by : Mara Rahim

On December 19, the Ministry of Health, through the Omani Center for Organ Transplant, commemorated Oman Organ Donation Day. This annual event aims to foster a spirit of donation and unity within the Omani community. It reinforces the Ministry's efforts to enhance organ donation services and educate individuals on the importance of registering to donate organs during life or through the Shifa app posthumously, thereby offering hope to patients in dire need.

Dr. Qasim bin Mohammed Al Jahdhami, leading the Organ Donation Department at the National Organ Transplant Programme, shared notable accomplishments from the initiative. He revealed that over 153 suspected brain-dead cases were reported from various governorates in Oman. With family consent, eight organs, including kidneys and livers, were successfully transplanted to patients lacking living donors. This initiative also marked Oman’s inaugural heart transplant.

This year alone, Dr. Al Jahdhami announced that there were 15 liver transplants conducted—14 from living donors and one from a deceased individual. Additionally, 35 kidney transplants took place, sourced from a mix of living and deceased donors. These successes signify the robust development of the organ transplant program in the nation.

He highlighted that in 2025, 107 corneal transplants were executed as part of the national program, with expansions to various hospitals across Oman, thereby enhancing patient access to essential sight-restoring treatments.

The Oman Organ Donation Day event featured a presentation from the medical director of the National Transplant Organization of Spain, who shared international successes and outlined the medical and financial advantages of organ transplantation. There was also a discussion by Dr. Ali Al Jahdhami on the significance of organ donation within Islamic teachings, emphasizing its ethical and humanitarian implications.

The occasion also included heartfelt stories from organ transplant recipients, who conveyed their battles with illness and expressed their appreciation for the transformative power of organ donation. The event was graced by Dr. Said bin Harib Al Lamki, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health for Health Affairs, and attended by prominent health officials and representatives from institutions throughout Oman.