Post by : Mariam
Al-Faris
The Ministry of Health, represented by the Omani Center for Organ Transplant, marked Oman Organ Donation Day on December 19, an annual occasion that promotes the values of donation and solidarity within Omani society. The event supports the Ministry’s ongoing work to strengthen organ donation services and raise awareness about the importance of donating organs during life or registering through the Shifa app to donate organs after death, helping save the lives of patients in need.
Dr. Qasim bin Mohammed Al Jahdhami, Head of the Organ Donation Department at the National Organ Transplant Programme, shared key achievements of the programme. He explained that more than 153 reports of suspected brain-dead cases were received from different governorates across Oman. After receiving approvals from families, the programme successfully arranged the transplantation of eight organs, including kidneys and livers, for patients who did not have living donors. These efforts also led to the first heart transplant in the history of the Sultanate of Oman.
Dr. Al Jahdhami said that during this year, a total of 15 liver transplants were performed, including 14 from living donors and one from a deceased donor. He added that 35 kidney transplants were completed, with donations coming from both living and deceased donors. These achievements reflect the growing strength of the organ transplant programme in the country.
He also noted that 107 corneal transplant surgeries were carried out in 2025 as part of the national corneal transplant programme. This service has now been expanded to several hospitals across the Sultanate, improving access for patients who need vision-restoring treatment through corneal transplants.
The Oman Organ Donation Day programme featured a lecture by the medical director of the National Transplant Organization of Spain, who shared successful international experiences and explained the medical and economic benefits of organ transplantation. Another lecture was delivered by Dr. Ali Al Jahdhami on the virtue of organ donation in Islam, focusing on its legal, ethical, and humanitarian importance.
The event also included emotional testimonies from organ transplant recipients, who shared their personal struggles with illness and expressed gratitude for the life-changing impact of organ donation. The ceremony was held under the patronage of Dr. Said bin Harib Al Lamki, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health for Health Affairs, and was attended by senior officials and representatives from health institutions across Oman.
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