The European Society for Organ Transplantation (ESOT) held its transplant live televised congress in Dubai, making this the first time in ESOT’s history to broadcast outside of Europe on September 26, 2017.

ESOT chose Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU) in Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC) as its venue of choice to televise the live congress from Barcelona, Spain.

Dr. Farhad Al Janahi, Assistant Professor of Anatomy, and Dr. David Hickey, Professor of Surgery, were representing MBRU during the live televised congress. Dr. Al Janahi spoke via the televised congress to an international audience about MBRU’s experience with its first organ transplant surgery in Dubai that took place in collaboration with Mediclinic City Hospital that took place on June 8, 2016. The surgery was performed on a 29-year-old Emirati woman who had kidney failure due to diabetes.

The organ was provided through the Saudi Center for Organ Transplantation (SCOT) in Saudi Arabia, the reference center for Organ Transplant in the GCC. The kidney was transported from Riyadh to Dubai by a medical evacuation plane. Several government authorities played a vital role in ensuring the swift and safe transportation of the kidney to Mediclinic City Hospital including Dubai Airports, Dubai Ambulance, Dubai Customs and the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs.

The surgery marked the launch of the MBRU Organ Transplant Program which aims to establish, through partnership with healthcare providers, services for organ transplantation in Dubai – to meet the growing demand in the country.

During the congress, Dr. Farhad Janahi spoke with Gabriel Oniscu, Consultant Transplant Surgeon at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh Surgeon, and Honorary Clinical Senior Lecturer at University of Edinburgh about donor management.

Dr. Al Janahi said: “Transplant professionals from all over the UAE came to MBRU to interact with the transplant leaders all the way in Barcelona through the live broadcast; this is a great opportunity, and a privilege to be the preferred venue for ESOT’s televised congress.”

“We, at MBRU, are honored to host the televised congress. We aim to improve organ transplant services in the UAE,” Dr. Al Janahi continued.

Speaking about the event, Dr. Hickey said: “The fact that ESOT has chosen Dubai for its first overseas broadcast of its annual conference is a great credit to the organizers here in Dubai, and the prestige of MBRU. The fact that the meeting is here is an indication of the excellent spirit that exists in the transplant world. This is a message from the transplant community to the world, we need transplantation & the community will do everything to help people to develop their programs.”

A number of healthcare professionals from all over the UAE attended the televised conference at MBRU, amongst the guests was Dr. Mona Al Rukhaimi, Professor of Medicine at Dubai Medical College, Consultant Physician & Nephrologist, and President of the Emirates Medical Association Nephrology Society.

MBRU continues its commitment to develop healthcare professionals for the UAE to compliment the Dubai Plan 2021 and UAE’s 2021 vision. Through MBRU’s rigorous MBBS program, our pledge to provide students with the latest technologies in the medical field, the university aims to produce a high-caliber of physicians who will serve the people, society, enhance their experience, make Dubai a destination of choice and contribute positively to the economy.