One donor, Eight lives: OMAN PUSHES ORGAN DONATION AWARENESS

A single organ donor can offer a new lease of life to up to eight people facing life-threatening organ failure — a reality that remains little known among many members of society. Organ donation is increasingly being recognised in Oman as both a humanitarian responsibility and a means of saving lives.
Health authorities are encouraging more people to register as organ donors through the Ministry of Health’s Shifa application, in a bid to support hundreds of patients awaiting life-saving transplants and reduce the burden of organ failure cases in the country.
Organ donation in Oman is legally regulated, with the Oman Transplant Society supporting patients suffering from organ failure and facilitating access to transplantation from approved donors. The initiative is based on the principle that a person who dies from irreversible brain injury can help several others survive through the donation of vital organs.
“In Oman, one deceased organ donor can indeed save up to eight lives by donating vital organs such as the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, pancreas and intestines,” said Sumayya Al Harthy, Organ Transplant Coordinator at the Royal Hospital. “In addition, tissue and eye donations can improve the quality of life of up to 75 more individuals.”
According to the National Organ Transplant Programme (NOTP), more than 2,700 patients suffering from kidney failure are currently awaiting suitable donors. Meanwhile, more than 20,000 people have registered as organ donors through the Shifa application as of May 2025, reflecting growing awareness and acceptance of organ donation in Oman.
The country has also recorded notable progress in transplantation services, with eight liver transplants, 17 kidney transplants and two heart transplants carried out during the past six months.
From an Islamic perspective, organ donation has received support from His Eminence Shaikh Ahmed bin Hamad Al Khalili, Grand Mufti of Oman, who issued a fatwa permitting organ donation from brain-dead patients when carried out for humanitarian reasons and without commercial gain.
Oman’s organ donation regulations prohibit the buying and selling of organs, exploitation of donors or recipients, and any form of financial compensation. The Ministry of Health has issued regulations governing the transfer and transplantation of human organs and tissues to ensure ethical and legal practices.
Oman’s journey in organ transplantation began with the first kidney transplant from a living donor in October 1988, followed by the first deceased donor kidney transplant on December 19 of the same year. The date is now observed annually as Oman’s Organ Donation Day.
In November 2021, Royal approval was granted for the establishment of the Omani Centre for Organ Transplantation, followed by the creation of the Omani Centre for the Regulation of Human Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation under Ministerial Decision No. 252/2025.