More than one dozen patients at SKMC in need of a kidney

Over the last six months, four patients at SKMC were declared brain dead but doctors were unable to get permission to use their organs for transplants.

UAE law allows kidney transplants, but only from relatives or a deceased donor.

“The more common term is brain dead or ‘death by neurological criteria’,” Dr Ammar Abdulbaki said. “It is accepted worldwide and by Islamic Sharia.

“If we believe that a person who is brain dead can be a donor then we approach the family and solicit their consent.”

In the past six months, four patients at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City have been declared brain dead, however “we have not been able to gain consent”, Dr Abdulbaki said.

He said he holds out hope that families might have a change of heart.

There are 15 patients on the waiting list at SKMC who are in need of a kidney or they will die.

In the UAE, there are 1,600 patients suffering from kidney failure and who are on dialysis, which is a mechanical system that does a kidney’s work. They will remain on dialysis, which has harmful effects, until they get a transplant, or die.

“Every year there will be an additional 150 cases,” Dr Abdulbaki said. “Every year this number is also likely to increase. Even more with the population growth and sedentary lifestyle, if transplants are not done.”

Dialysis, said Dr Abdulbaki, was a burden on society and the health system.

“Every year of dialysis costs about US$100,000 (Dh367,000) per patient. Patients also can’t work, so you lose their manpower and contribution to society. It is a burden, a tragedy and a loss.”