Abu Dhabi Performs 779 Organ Transplants in 2026

According to new data released by the Department of Health, medical facilities in Abu Dhabi carried out 779 organ procedures so far in 2026. This represents a 23.5 per cent rise compared to the entirety of last year and a sharp 169 per cent increase from 2024, when annual procedures stood at 290 before climbing to 631 in 2025. The expansion brings the cumulative total of transplants performed across the emirate since 2017 to 2,500.

Authorities reported that one-year post-transplant success rates have reached 96.5 per cent. The growth in services has been driven by targeted investments in specialized medical facilities, advanced surgical technologies, internationally trained professionals, and partnerships with leading healthcare organizations. Four major medical institutions anchor the program: Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, Burjeel Medical City, and Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City. These centers offer complex multi-organ procedures and robotic-assisted surgeries.

Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi operates the nation's sole heart and lung transplant programs and houses a dedicated intensive care unit. The hospital has completed pioneering procedures, including the UAE's first combined heart and lung transplant, alongside a robotic-assisted lung transplant designed to enhance surgical precision and recovery.

International and regional collaborations have further strengthened the healthcare framework. Partnerships with institutions such as Spain's Donation and Transplantation Institute and the United Network for Organ Sharing in the United States have helped improve clinical standards, establish new tissue and circulatory death donation pathways, and develop specialized kidney and liver programs. Additionally, cross-border cooperation between the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait has facilitated the exchange of more than 550 organs since the launch of the initiative.

Abu Dhabi reported 779 organ transplants in 2026, lifting its total to 2,500 procedures.

Registering for Donors

Public participation in the UAE's national organ and tissue donation and transplantation program, known as Hayat, has continued to grow. More than 40,000 individuals have registered their formal intention to donate organs following death, strengthening the national registry that connects available organs with patients awaiting critical care.

Why it matters

The steady increase in successful organ transplants and the expansion of specialized medical capabilities in Abu Dhabi mean improved treatment access and higher survival outcomes for individuals suffering from organ failure. These regional collaborations and rising donor registrations directly affect patients awaiting life-saving interventions by broadening the availability of organs and elevating clinical standards across the healthcare sector.