Saudi hospital has become a global leader in organ transplants

KFSHRC successfully performs 1,092 organ transplants in a year. (Supplied)
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Updated 15 October 2024
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Saudi hospital has become a global leader in organ transplants

  • Over 9,000 organ transplants since 1981 and 1,092 in 2023
  • World’s first fully robotic liver, heart replacement surgeries

RIYADH: has become a world-leading facility for organ transplantation.

KFSHRC’s Organ Transplant Centre of Excellence has garnered international acclaim for its expertise in solid-organ transplants, including liver, kidney and lung procedures, said the hospital in a statement on Monday.

In the past year, the hospital successfully conducted 1,092 transplants.

KFSHRC has performed a series of groundbreaking surgeries, most notably the world’s first liver transplant from a living donor using robotic technology in both organ retrieval and implantation.

Building on this success, the surgical team recently completed the world’s first fully robotic heart transplant, further solidifying Saudi Arabia’s position as a global leader in healthcare innovation.

Since the program’s inception in 1981, the hospital has performed 9,000 successful transplants.

Recognizing the critical challenge of donor-patient compatibility, particularly in kidney transplants, KFSHRC established the pioneering Kidney Paired Donation program.

This program facilitates the exchange of living donors with incompatible blood types and tissues between multiple patients, significantly increasing the pool of available organs and reducing waiting times.

The KPD program has enabled KFSHRC to perform over 5,000 kidney transplants.

KFSHRC’s commitment extends beyond the transplant surgery itself. Understanding prevention’s crucial role in patient well-being, the hospital established a specialized vaccination clinic for solid-organ transplant recipients in 2023.

This clinically tailored vaccination plans for each patient’s unique immune status and type of transplant, minimizes the risk of infections that could compromise outcomes.

The clinic has already served over 150 patients, achieving a high compliance rate for the Shingrix vaccine.

For the second consecutive year, KFSHRC has secured the top spot in the Middle East and Africa, and ranks 20th among the world’s top 250 academic medical centers.

Brand Finance recognized the facility as the most valuable healthcare brand in the Middle East for 2024.

Newsweek magazine also included the facility among the world’s best 250 hospitals and in the World’s Best Smart Hospitals list for 2025.


2025 edition of Jeddah Book Fair attracts more than 650,000 visitors

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2025 edition of Jeddah Book Fair attracts more than 650,000 visitors

  • Held from December 11 to 20 under the slogan “Jeddah Reads,” the fair featured more than 1,000 publishing houses and cultural agencies from 24 countries

JEDDAH: The 2025 edition Jeddah Book Fair concluded on Saturday after 10 days of cultural activities, drawing more than 650,000 visitors and reinforcing its growing role in Saudi Arabia’s cultural landscape.

Held from December 11 to 20 under the slogan “Jeddah Reads,” the fair featured more than 1,000 publishing houses and cultural agencies from 24 countries, spread across over 400 booths and offering around 195,000 book titles.

The CEO of the Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission, Abdul Latif Al-Wasel, said the event reflected the Kingdom’s evolving cultural vision and marked an important step in the development of the publishing sector and the promotion of intellectual awareness.

This year’s edition saw an expanded programme of more than 176 cultural activities, including seminars, workshops and book signings, catering to a wide range of age groups and interests. 

A dedicated children’s zone attracted strong family attendance, offering educational and interactive experiences aimed at nurturing creativity and learning.

For the first time, the fair also included screenings of Saudi films as part of its cultural programme, linking literature with visual storytelling and highlighting local creative talent.

The event made use of enhanced digital infrastructure, including electronic ticketing and interactive maps, to improve accessibility and the overall visitor experience.

The Jeddah Book Fair forms part of the Saudi Book Fairs Initiative, one of the Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission’s flagship programmes under its 2020–2025 strategy to support the publishing industry, enrich cultural life and contribute to national economic growth.