Saudi Organ Transplantation Center launches kidney exchange program

The Saudi Center for Organ Transplantation has launched a program to facilitate kidney swaps among families of transplant patients.

The program allows exchanges when a living donor’s kidney is not compatible with the intended recipient, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.

The first exchange, involving two patients and their respective donors, was conducted at King Fahad Specialist Hospital in Dammam and King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh.

The program aims to increase the number of living donors and address compatibility issues, which will expand options for patients on transplant waitlists.

Initially implemented at these two hospitals, it will eventually cover all kidney transplant centers nationwide.

The center is encouraging all transplant centers across the Kingdom to join the program’s second phase to raise the living donor rate from 10 percent to 30 percent.

This initiative supports the center’s strategic goals and aligns with Saudi Vision 2030.