UAE’s vision for a world without blindness starts with their first Eye and Tissue Bank

The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), which regulates the healthcare industry in the emirate, and Eversight, one of the largest non-profit eye banks in the United States, collaborated to establish the first Eye and Tissue Bank in the United Arab Emirates. The Agreement will result in the construction, development, and operation of an integrated and comprehensive eye transplantation system in the United Arab Emirates.

In the presence of Abdulla bin Mohamed Al Hamed, Chairman of DoH, and Carrie Wolverton, Global Development Director at Eversight, Dr. Jamal Mohammed Al Kaabi, Undersecretary of DoH, and Erik Hellier, Director of Global Development at Eversight, signed a Memorandum of Understanding reflecting the partnership.

Through this strategic partnership, the Department of Health and Eversight will provide the foundation for three phases, including program design, implementation, and administration. In the beginning, both organizations will concentrate on implementing the essential arrangements for the Eye and Tissue Bank – Abu Dhabi to function as an importer of corneas and other eye-related tissues.

In addition to integrating the eye and tissue banking programme within the National Scheme for Organ Donation and Transplantation of the United Arab Emirates, the UAE has established a programme for eye and tissue banking.

Eversight will establish a comprehensive medical framework to standardize and operate all clinical operations within the Eye and Tissue Bank – Abu Dhabi in compliance with international best practices in Abu Dhabi.

Dr. Al Kaabi stated, “In accordance with the directives of our sage leadership, Abu Dhabi continues to collaborate with preeminent international organizations to improve its national healthcare operations on all fronts. Today, we are happy to have joined with Eversight to launch yet another program that contributes to the preservation and improvement of lives in the UAE and abroad. Through this agreement, we hope to further enhance healthcare results and promote speedy and seamless operations for all UAE patients requiring eye-tissue transplants.”

Al Kaabi stated, “We encourage all members of the community to register their willingness to give organs and tissues after death. While we strive tirelessly to maintain Abu Dhabi’s standing as a premier destination for healthcare, we empower our community to join us on the path to excellence through such noble and heartfelt actions.”

Hellier stated, “Our objective for the future is to increase our reach, interact with all communities more efficiently, and offer those in need with a life filled with sight. Our goal is a world devoid of blindness. This alliance is a significant step towards achieving that ambition. This is the crowning achievement of my 17-year career in eye banking, and we are quite optimistic about the future.”