Nasser al-Din: Reactivating Organ Transplant Operations at the Ministry's Expense

Minister of Public Health Rakan Nasser al-Din toured Al-Rasoul Al-Azam Hospital in Beirut's southern suburbs and Saint George Greek Orthodox Hospital in the Jounieh area of Beirut, where he inspected three patients who underwent organ transplants from a single donor who gave life to three people. The procedures included a heart transplant at Al-Rasoul Al-Azam Hospital and two kidney transplants for patients at Saint George Greek Orthodox Hospital.

During the tour, Minister Nasser al-Din confirmed "the reactivation of organ transplant operations at the ministry's expense, in addition to the formation of a national body that will assume the task of drafting implementing decrees to regulate the sector in Lebanon."

Minister Nasser al-Din was accompanied by MP Dr. Ali Mikdad, Director General of the Ministry of Public Health Dr. Wi'am Abu Hamdan, and his office director Dr. Hassan Khair al-Din.

The minister began his tour at "Al-Rasoul Al-Azam Hospital," where he was received by Director General Hussein Shaqir and the medical team that performed the heart transplant, consisting of Professor Ali Sayed Ahmad, Professor Khalil Jawad, and Dr. Mohammad Sabbagh.

He reassured himself about the health of the patient who had undergone the heart transplant two days prior, before confirming that this operation represents a model for the Ministry of Public Health's current efforts to reactivate organ donation and transplantation in Lebanon, after these operations had ceased during the past five years.

Minister Nasser al-Din announced the "formation of a body comprising doctors and representatives from academic hospitals, tasked with preparing the necessary implementing decrees to regulate the organ donation sector in Lebanon, noting that the body would hold its first meeting in the coming days."

He affirmed that "heart, kidney, and liver transplants conducted within this framework are covered by the Ministry of Public Health," stressing the ministry's belief in the ability of Lebanese doctors and hospitals to rise and restore Lebanon's position on the health map, despite the difficult conditions facing the health sector and the aggression it is subjected to.

The minister then moved to Saint George Greek Orthodox Hospital in Ashrafieh, where he was received by Executive Director Dr. Ziad Haidar, Medical Director Dr. Salah Shouiri, Nursing Director Mrs. Marie Cheiban, Financial Director Mr. Wael Nakad, Communications Director Mr. Georges Deek, Mr. Emile Rahbani, Dr. Michel Feghali, and Dr. Aziz Najjar from the Department of Urological and Reproductive Surgery, representing Dr. Joe Nehra who performed the two kidney transplants.

He inspected the two patients who underwent the transplants in the intensive care unit, reassuring them about their health.

He indicated that "his visit to the hospital has two aspects; the first involves thanking the hospital for standing alongside Lebanese people in the various difficult circumstances Lebanon has gone through," pausing at the sign placed by the hospital at its entrance commemorating August 4th, noting that this day was one of the hardest for him as a surgeon.

He praised "the existing cooperation between Saint George Greek Orthodox Hospital and the Ministry of Public Health in receiving patients at the ministry's expense," adding that "the coverage value is approaching the specified ceiling and may exceed it," considering that this opens a new phase of cooperation between the public and private sectors.

He clarified that "what the ministry asks of private hospitals is to provide the difference that each institution can bear based on its capabilities," praising the hospital's management and its faith in Lebanon.

He explained that "the second aspect concerns the kidney transplant operations, which highlight the importance of organ donation in Lebanon, not just medically but also humanly," emphasizing the need for continued support for such initiatives.