Locally executed transplantations have saved the kingdom one billion riyals, said Qasim Al-Qasabi, executive supervisor of the General Organization for King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center (KFSHRC).
He spoke during the opening ceremony of the Saudi International Congress on New Frontiers in Organ Transplantation that was launched recently in Riyadh.
“The costs of 730 transplantations at KFSHRC last year could have cost more than SR 1.443 billion if these had been done in the US,” he told a local newspaper.
The transplantations have been carried out last year at hospitals in Riyadh and Jeddah.
“We have successfully accomplished 167 bone marrow transplant for adults, 168 for children, 261 kidney transplants, 101 liver transplants, 19 heart transplants, 14 lung transplants and 30 bone transplants.” He said that transplantations had increased by 84 percent between 2005 and 2012.
“KFSHRC has maintained its advanced position in the list of the world's top centers for stem cell transplants from bone marrow and umbilical cord blood,” he added.
The center celebrated the inauguration of the umbilical cord stem cell bank in 2007 to provide stem cells of bone marrow implants for local procedures.
“Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis, or embryonic screening, has been successfully implemented at the center,” said Al-Qasabi.
The number of screenings increased by 148 compared to the year before in the field of genetic diseases. Screenings aim to detect diseases such as thalassemia, sickle cell anemia, cystic fibrosis and hereditary metabolic diseases.
Such procedures are done using in vitro fertilization (IVF), a technique by which an egg is fertilized by sperm outside the body. After examining the embryos a selection process is made to choose genetically sound embryos. “Last year, 360 families have benefited from this program,” he said.
The conference will discuss issues in the field of organ transplantation for children and adults, including liver, kidney, the heart, lungs, stem cells, bones and others.
An open forum will be held on Thursday on the role of the community in enhancing the culture of organ donation within the frame of the Islamic law, with the participation of senior scholars and prominent figures of the Royal Court, The Grand Mosque, and renowned doctors in the field of transplantation.
Local transplantation procedures save SR 1 bn
