Saudi Center Launches Innovative Family Kidney Exchange Program

The Saudi Center for Organ Transplantation (SCOT) announced a new national family kidney exchange program to aid families with members needing kidney transplants. This initiative allows organ swaps between families when a living donor's kidney is incompatible with the intended recipient.

Under this program, the first successful kidney exchange between two families was completed. The surgeries took place at King Fahad Specialist Hospital in Dammam and King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh, overseen by SCOT.

The primary aim of this program is to increase the number of living donors and address issues related to blood type and tissue incompatibility. This effort aligns with the Health Sector Transformation Program and Saudi Vision 2030, aiming to expand options for patients on transplant waitlists.

Initially, the program will be implemented at King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh and King Fahad Specialist Hospital in Dammam. The plan is to eventually include all kidney transplant centers across the Kingdom.

SCOT is inviting all kidney transplant centers nationwide to join the second phase of the program. This expansion aims to increase the rate of living donors from 10% to 30%, enhancing transplantation services and healthcare accessibility for citizens and residents.

This initiative supports SCOT’s strategic goals and Saudi Vision 2030 by optimizing organ donation rates and improving healthcare services. The program seeks to provide better healthcare access for all individuals in need of kidney transplants.

The introduction of this national family kidney exchange program marks a significant step towards addressing organ donation challenges in Saudi Arabia. By facilitating more living donor transplants, it aims to reduce wait times for patients with kidney failure.

With inputs from SPA