New device to ease organ transplantation

DUBAI: The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) has unveiled a new device, which is the irst of its kind in the region, that helps patients in need of organ transplantation. It checks conformity of the tissue between the donor and the patient before transplanting, thus the patients does not have to travel abroad for the test.

The development will reduce the cost incurred by the patients since using the device to conduct the test costs Dhs4,000, unlike the prevailing situtation whereby patients travel out of the country for the test and part with up to about Dhs100,000.

The DHA earlier revealed a future plan for bone marrow transplant in Dubai Hospital through providing specialised medical services as well as equipment such as laboratories and therapeutic and test devices that conduct the analysis of the spinal cord after transplantation. The cost of transplantation of the bone marrow abroad is about Dhs1m, since the patient requires a long stay abroad with the donor, while the cost will fall to less than half a million Dirham if conducted in the country.

More than 10 patients in Dubai Hospital are in need of marrow transplantation. The number is variable and depends on newly discovered cases. Bone marrow transplantation contributes to the treatment of a number of incurable diseases, including leukemia, lymphoma and hemoglobin deficiency for infants and others. Transplantation of the marrow abroad is very expensive. In India, it costs about Dhs300,000, which is the lowest, in Europe it is Dhs 1million and in the US it is about Dhs1.5 million. The patient remains abroad for 100 days after the operation for medical follow-up, as there are complications expected after the transplantation. The success of the operation depends on the age of the patient and his health. If such types of operations are conducted in the country, it will boost the health industry and promote medical tourism..