Sheikh Khalifa Medical City Performs Milestone Kidney Transplant on Five-Year-Old Patient

Hospital carries out 52 successful pediatric operations as part of SEHA’s Kidney Transplant Program

Abu Dhabi, 10 March 2022:  Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC) and, SEHA Kidney Care, part of Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA), have performed 52 pediatric kidney transplants, with one of the most recent cases being a successful procedure to treat a five-year-old boy suffering from end stage renal disease. The operation marked a major milestone in the number of pediatric kidney transplants carried out by SEHA’s Kidney Transplant Program since its inception in 2010. 

The patient, Salem Al Falahi, was born with a congenital bladder problem that meant his kidneys failed early in his life. The Emirati youngster had been receiving dialysis treatment (both peritoneal dialysis and haemodialysis), since he was just two months old. Kidney failure is extremely serious and has a negative impact on a child's growth and development. The kidneys act as filters, so when they stop functioning, too much waste is built up in the body and this can cause a problem with brain development and function, sometimes leading to learning disabilities.

After undergoing numerous surgeries, suffering infections and enduring emergency hospitalizations, Salem’s family received the long-awaited call that a matching kidney had been found from a deceased donor. The operation was carried out successfully on 24th December last year. 
Salem’s mother said: I cannot be more grateful for this gift from God. When he was born, I was told that my baby had only a few months to live but I believe in miracles. My little child has been given a new lease of life. He has the opportunity to grow up and live a normal happy and healthy life.”

Speaking about the operation, Dr. Muhammad Zaman, Transplant Surgeon at SKMC, said: “Kidney transplantation is considered the best treatment option for adults, as well as children, who have kidney failure. By having a kidney transplant, it means the child is free from having to undergo dialysis which is an extremely time-consuming treatment. We are delighted to see this child in better health. We always follow our patients closely, and a successful transplant is only half of the journey; the other half is to avoid rejection of the new organ. We work closely with all of our patients and families after procedures like this to ensure they receive all the support they need to help the child with normal growth and development, in addition to helping them manage a smooth transition into adulthood so they have the best chance in life.”

Dr. Safa Al Mustafa, Acting CEO at SKMC, added: “Conducting 52 pediatric kidney transplants is a significant milestone and a positive step forward that demonstrates our commitment to delivering the best transplant services to our patients. The success of kidney transplantation in children with end stage renal disease now results in 10-year patient survival of 90–95%, in addition to multiple benefits to quality of life, which further shows that transplant is often the preferred treatment option compared to staying on dialysis. Through our world-class services at SKMC, we continue to elevate pediatric services in Abu Dhabi in line with international benchmarks, as well as strive to increase access to these life-saving treatments in the UAE. To date, SEHA’s Transplant Program has performed almost 393 transplants in total since its inception.” 
SKMC is the leading center for pediatric organ transplants in the UAE, offering up-to-date treatment. The hospital’s Pediatric Kidney Transplant program is the most comprehensive in the Emirates, and the only program of its kind in Abu Dhabi, and is aligned with SEHA’s Kidney Transplant Program. 
SEHA’s Kidney Transplant Program is delivered by highly skilled medical teams including physicians, coordinators, psychologists, donor advocates, pharmacists and nurses. Its service center offers a multitude of medical procedures including cardiology, gastrointestinal tract operations (GIT), radiology, vascular surgery, pediatric surgery, infectious disease analysis (ID), operating room anesthesia (OR), among other pediatric surgical requirements.