Taiz transplant centre marks medical milestone in Yemen
Led by Professor Abudar al-Ganadi, the Cardiac and Vascular Diseases and Kidney Transplant Center has performed over 1,600 kidney transplants and nearly 4,000 vascular operations since 2021, supported by private sector subsidies and international medical teams.
The Cardiac and Vascular Diseases and Kidney Transplant Center in Taiz, Yemen, has treated 110 children for free during a medical camp held between 16 and 21 May. Supported by Qatar Charity and the Qatar Red Crescent, the event involved medical teams from Qatar, Arab nations, and France, including doctors from Sidra Medicine. Professor Abudar al-Ganadi, the centre’s head, described the event as a major accomplishment for Yemen’s medical sector, noting it as the largest medical camp in the country for complex operations of this kind.
Since its establishment in July 2021, the facility has performed 1,640 kidney transplants, 1,450 open-heart surgeries, and nearly 4,000 vascular operations. The centre recently conducted Yemen’s first three liver transplants, marking a potential step towards a sustainable liver treatment programme. Professor al-Ganadi stated that preliminary results for the liver transplants will not be announced until after 10 and then 50 cases, following a cautious rollout similar to the approach taken with the cardiac programme.
The facility now performs approximately 500 operations monthly, including 50 adult cardiac surgeries, 70 vascular surgeries, and 300 cardiac catheterization procedures. This represents a significant increase from the first year of operations, when the centre performed between three and five surgeries a month. The expansion has been facilitated by private sector entities, including the Hayel Saeed Anam Group, Al-Zailai Company, and Al-Kuraimi Bank, which cover the majority of treatment costs.
Cost reductions have made the centre a critical alternative to overseas treatment, with patients paying approximately $2,000 for open-heart surgery compared to estimated costs of $20,000 abroad. The centre has also performed 220 minimally invasive heart procedures, a service noted as distinctive and attracting some expatriate patients. Dr Nader al-Hammadi, a resident physician in the cardiovascular surgery unit, noted that the facility has saved Yemenis from the complications and costs of travelling abroad for care.
Professor al-Ganadi returned to Taiz in July 2021 at the request of the city’s governor to establish the centre, starting with limited resources in a damaged hospital. The facility has grown from six beds on the first floor to 131 beds, including 23 dedicated to intensive care. Despite the challenges of operating in a city that suffered significant damage during the war, the centre has become one of Yemen’s most significant medical achievements in recent times.
