Muscat – Oman is seeing a significant increase in renal failure cases, with over 4,500 patients currently affected by chronic kidney disease. According to the latest official statistics, diabetes and high blood pressure are the leading causes, responsible for 70 per cent of the cases.

According to a report on Oman TV, the number of dialysis centres has expanded to over 22 across the sultanate, equipped with 500 dialysis machines. Ministry of Health (MoH) is actively working to enhance the health infrastructure to meet growing demand for dialysis among kidney patients.

As the number of patients with renal issues rises, kidneys have become the most sought-after organ for transplantation.

The report highlighted several essential preventive measures to combat chronic kidney disease, including adopting a healthy diet, regular exercise, blood sugar management, controlling high blood pressure, avoiding excessive use of pain relievers, and staying properly hydrated.

The report focused on organ donation, adequately highlighting various aspects of human organ transplantation. It also addressed the urgent need of community awareness on the significance of organ donation. A culture of organ donation in society will ultimately help in reducing the suffering of patients needing organ transplants.

The Technical Committee for Heart Transplantation at the National Organ Transplantation Programme held its inaugural meeting last month. It focused on the preparations needed to begin heart transplant operations in the sultanate. Discussions covered the necessary medical and surgical equipment, human resources and the creation of a national waiting list for patients suffering from heart failure.

Once the programme is implemented, heart donation after death could be registered through MoH’s Shifa application. This development will complement the existing organ donation registration process, further supporting the country’s efforts to expand organ transplantation services. The app registered over 11,000 potential donors for organ transplant in 2023. Only 30 liver and kidney transplants were performed in the year.

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