| Dr. Talal Al-Qoufi, a consultant in organ transplantation, is known for his adaptable personality and exceptional institutional mindset. He graduated from the College of Medicine at King Saud University and completed his subspecialty training in Canada, gaining extensive experience over many years at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre. Currently, Dr. Talal serves as the head of the Saudi Center for Organ Transplantation (SCOT), the governmental body responsible for overseeing organ transplantation programs and donation centers across Saudi Arabia. Dr. Talal spoke about his deep passion for advancing the healthcare sector by enhancing institutional work, supporting the infrastructure of the health system, and fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and transparency. These efforts aim to serve patients suffering from end-stage organ failure, striving to improve their quality of life. We asked him: What is your goal for the Center? He replied: My goal is to establish a sustainable framework that ensures all patients receive the life-saving treatment they need at the right time, contributing to the health and well-being of our community. The center’s aim is for patients to receive the right organ at the right time. Let us take you through this insightful discussion. --- Welcome, Dr. Talal. To begin with, can you tell us about the history of organ transplantation in Saudi Arabia? Thank you, and I’m delighted to discuss this in the monthly newsletter. The story of organ transplantation in Saudi Arabia began in 1979 with the first kidney transplant from a living donor. Adila Al-Juhani donated her kidney to her sister, Jamalat Al-Juhani, at Prince Sultan Medical Military City in Riyadh. This transplant was successful. The beginnings were in the 1970s, and Saudi Arabia adopted an ambitious national approach to serve patients with organ failure through a series of initiatives, such as establishing the Saudi Center for Organ Transplantation, implementing the organ donation system and its executive regulations, and launching the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and Crown Prince’s initiative for organ donation. --- Tell us about the establishment of the Saudi Center for Organ Transplantation. Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman—may God protect him—noted the suffering of kidney failure patients when he was the Governor of Riyadh more than 40 years ago. This led to the royal approval for establishing the National Kidney Transplant Center in 1984, which later became the National Organ Transplant Center in 1992. In 2021, the Organ Donation Law was approved, and the program was honored by the registration of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and the Crown Prince in the organ donation program. --- Are you referring to the donation card available on the Tawakkalna app? Yes, the initiative by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and the Crown Prince to personally donate has had a widespread impact and delivered a powerful message reflecting the great care for preserving human life. We now have over 537,000 registered donors on the donation platform. This initiative has marked a significant shift in raising societal awareness, highlighting the importance of organ donation, and promoting humanitarian values. --- Could you outline the roles and responsibilities of the Center? The center is the governmental authority overseeing organ transplantation and donation programs and centers in Saudi Arabia. It focuses on 13 main tasks grouped into four pillars: operations and services, regulation and compliance, prevention and awareness, and research and education. --- From what you’ve said, am I correct in understanding that the center has specific targets and performance indicators tied to Saudi Vision 2030? Yes, absolutely. Saudi Arabia is undergoing a significant transformation, and at the center, we have several targets aligned with Vision 2030, such as increasing the number of accredited organ transplant centers and enhancing the reporting of brain-dead cases. The center also aims to achieve ambitious future goals, such as self-sufficiency in organs within the Kingdom, improving transplant success rates, and ensuring financial sustainability by reducing the burden on the healthcare system. --- Can you tell us about the number of organ transplant programs in Saudi Arabia? There are 31 organ transplant programs in Saudi Arabia. --- How does Saudi Arabia compare with other countries? Saudi Arabia has made significant progress. The number of organ transplants performed annually has exceeded 2,000, representing a 30% increase compared to previous years. Globally, we rank second in living-donor kidney and liver transplants, thanks to the deep humanitarian values in Saudi society, which promote generosity, familial bonds, and solidarity. The success of these programs also depends on the seamless collaboration across the health system, involving referral centers, air evacuation, commercial aviation, transplant centers, and donor hospitals. However, the greatest challenge remains deceased organ donation, where we rank 30th globally. This is primarily due to non-compliance with brain-death reporting policies as part of end-of-life care, and the low consent rate from donor families, which is less than 4%. This is influenced by cultural and religious challenges surrounding the concept of donation and confusion between reversible coma and irreversible brain death. --- What about the current waiting lists in Saudi Arabia? We face a challenge with accurate data. We believe the number of patients on waiting lists does not fully reflect the actual need for organ transplants. For example, the national registry only includes patients with registered kidney failure, which doesn’t provide a complete picture of kidney diseases or their prevalence. Only 6% of patients are on the kidney transplant waiting list, indicating unmet needs. These data challenges will be addressed through the Athar platform, set to launch early next year. --- I’ve heard a lot about the upcoming launch of the National Organ Donation and Transplantation Platform, Athar, which is expected to revolutionize organ transplantation in Saudi Arabia. Could you share more details? The Athar platform will be a groundbreaking development. It is a technological solution aimed at improving the management of waiting lists, matching, allocation, and patient follow-up. The platform leverages artificial intelligence algorithms and integrates with apps like Tawakkalna, Naphes, and Nafath. Athar will significantly enhance operational efficiency, serve as a comprehensive national registry for donors and recipients, ensure fairness, and automate matching processes. It is set to launch in early 2025. --- Finally, what role does the healthcare practitioner play in such a vital and noble cause as organ transplantation? Healthcare practitioners have a crucial role, summarized in two main points: First, increasing the reporting of brain-death cases, and second, raising public awareness about organ donation, especially among the families of brain-dead patients. Communicating the humanitarian and social benefits of organ donation effectively can make a significant impact. Enhancing community awareness, improving communication with families, and emphasizing religious rulings supporting organ donation will pave the way to achieving goals, addressing waiting list challenges, and saving lives. | 