Oman Celebrates Organ Donation Day with Remarkable Achievements

On December 19, the Ministry of Health, via the Omani Center for Organ Transplant, celebrated Oman Organ Donation Day, an annual event aimed at fostering the spirit of donation and unity within Omani communities. The occasion underscores the Ministry’s commitment to enhance organ donation services and to promote awareness of both preemptive organ donations and posthumous registrations through the Shifa app, aimed at saving lives of patients awaiting transplants.

Dr. Qasim bin Mohammed Al Jahdhami, who heads the Organ Donation Department at the National Organ Transplant Programme, highlighted key milestones achieved by the programme. He noted that the initiative received over 153 reports of potential brain-dead cases from various regions of Oman. Following approvals from families, the programme facilitated the transplantation of eight organs—including kidneys and livers—for patients lacking living donors. Notably, these efforts led to the Sultanate’s inaugural heart transplant.

Dr. Al Jahdhami pointed out that this year alone witnessed 15 liver transplants—14 from living donors and one from a deceased individual. Additionally, 35 kidney transplants were carried out, sourcing organs from both living and deceased donors. These milestones signify the expanding capabilities of the country’s organ transplant programme.

In a major advancement, the national corneal transplant programme successfully completed 107 corneal transplants in 2025, enhancing accessibility to vision-restoration treatments for patients across multiple hospitals in the Sultanate.

The Oman Organ Donation Day featured a talk by the medical director of Spain's National Transplant Organization, sharing success stories and highlighting the medical and economic advantages associated with organ transplantation. Another noteworthy lecture was conducted by Dr. Ali Al Jahdhami, discussing the religious virtues of organ donation in Islam, emphasizing its legal, ethical, and humanitarian significance.

The event also included stirring testimonials from organ transplant recipients, who recounted their challenging journeys and expressed heartfelt gratitude for the transformative power of organ donation. The ceremony, which saw participation from senior officials and health representatives across Oman, was held under the auspices of Dr. Said bin Harib Al Lamki, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health for Health Affairs.