Abu Dhabi to set up UAE’s first ophthalmology and tissue bank

In a statement on Wednesday, the Ministry of Health said the agreement will create the tissue bank in three phases, including project design, implementation and management. At an early stage, the two entities will focus on implementing the necessary arrangements for the Abu Dhabi Eye and Tissue Bank as an importer of corneas and other eye-related tissues in the region, while also integrating the Eye and Tissue Bank program into the UAE National Program for Organ Donation and Transplantation.

In parallel, Eversight will develop a comprehensive medical framework to standardize and operate all clinical functions and procedures within the Abu Dhabi Eye and Tissue Bank according to international best practices.

“Under the direction of our wise leadership, Abu Dhabi continues to work with leading international institutions to elevate its national healthcare operations in all aspects. We are proud to partner with Eversight today to build another impactful program that will contribute to Sustaining and improving lives in the UAE and beyond. Through this partnership, we aim to further improve healthcare outcomes and provide a fast and seamless procedure for all patients in the UAE who need eye tissue transplants,” said Dr Al Kaabi.

“We encourage all community members to register their consent to donate post mortem organs and tissues. As we strive endlessly to reaffirm Abu Dhabi’s status as a premier destination for healthcare, we enable our community to participate in the journey of excellence through noble and emotional actions in,” he added.

“Our vision for the future is to expand our reach, connect more effectively with all communities, and provide a life of hope to anyone in need. Our vision is a world without blindness. This partnership is This is a huge step forward for this vision. It is the highlight of my 17 years working with the eye bank and we are very excited about the future,” said Erik Hellier, Global Development Director, Eversight.

Eversight’s mission began in 1947 with the opening of the fourth eye bank in the United States (formerly known as the Illinois Eye Bank). Over time, as the urgent need for corneal tissue to treat preventable blindness surged, nonprofit eye banks were established in every state. Thirty-eight years later, the partnership between Michigan and Illinois Eye Banks, established in 1957, has earned a reputation for clinical excellence and attracted connections to eye banks in other regions. In 2015, the network changed its name to Eversight.

Meanwhile, the UAE continues to encourage its residents to donate organs, with Abu Dhabi launching the Abu Dhabi Community Campaign in support of Hayat, the UAE’s national organ donation and transplant programme. The event kicked off at the International Conference on Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation Initiative in the capital, where DoH Chairman Al Hamed became the first person to register as an organ and tissue donor on the Hayat platform.

At the conference, leading UAE experts said organ transplant services in the country have been rapidly expanding since 2016, when the country defined brain death to pave the way for organ and tissue donation from the deceased. Since then, the UAE has seen 109 deceased organ donors save the lives of more than 400 patients in the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Recipients received kidneys, hearts, livers, lungs, pancreas and bone marrow during the transplants performed at five transplant centers in the UAE.