JEDDAH: A highly specialized medical and surgical team of 25 doctors from various specialties successfully performed the first liver transplant surgery at the Saudi German Hospital here recently.
Dr. Khalid Batterjee, vice president of the hospital, said the surgery was conducted after receiving approval from the Saudi Council for Organ transplantation, and under their supervision, with full success as the donor and recipient are both healthy and fine.
Dr. Amro Abdela’al, a liver transplant specialist at the hospital, said this is the first time such a complicated surgery has been performed at the hospital in Jeddah and is proof of the medical progress in the Kingdom.
The liver transplant surgery was performed on a 32-year-old Yemeni patient who was suffering from liver, abdominal and body pain for the past several years.
Abdela’al said the patient’s 30-year-old younger brother donated part of the right lobe of his liver to save his brother’s life. The surgery was carried out with the help of extensively experienced doctors who successfully attached part of the healthy liver with arteries, veins and bile duct in the patient.
He said the 10-hour surgery was a major success in this regard. The patient was in intensive care for four days, but has now been transferred to the normal ward.
In living-donor liver transplants, surgeons remove a portion of the donor’s liver. Another surgical team then removes the recipient’s entire diseased liver and replaces it with a portion of the living donor’s healthy liver. The livers of the donor and the recipient grow to their full size within a few weeks.
The Yemeni patient who wanted to remain anonymous after the successful surgery, thanked the Kingdom and the kind leadership for all humanitarian and medical support they are providing to Yemeni nationals and others.
First liver transplant in Jeddah successful
First liver transplant in Jeddah successful
Saudi Arabia highlights agricultural innovation, food security at Qatar expo
- Date varieties, honey, coffee attract global investors at AgriteQ exhibition in Doha
RIYADH: The National Center for Palms and Dates highlighted Saudi Arabia’s leadership in the global date sector at the 13th Qatar International Agricultural Exhibition, AgriteQ.
The Kingdom is participating as a guest of honor at the exhibition, held at Katara Cultural Village in Doha until Feb. 16, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.
Several Saudi companies specializing in date production and processing are showcasing their products and competitive advantages in domestic and international markets.
With total annual date production in the Kingdom exceeding 1.9 million tonnes, the center’s pavilion demonstrated how date-processing industries contribute to food security and the agricultural sector’s share of the national economy.
The showcase featured Saudi date varieties alongside innovative value-added products, attracting strong interest from international investors and companies seeking technology partnerships.
The Sustainable Agricultural Rural Development Program, known as Saudi Reef, is also taking part in the event to strengthen the presence of Saudi agricultural products and showcase initiatives supporting smallholder farmers and rural families.
The Saudi Reef pavilion highlights the program’s key achievements in empowering beneficiaries and enhancing sustainable agricultural production, the SPA reported.
A range of products on display, including honey, coffee, and dates, reflects the diversity and quality of local production, while introducing the support mechanisms and services offered to beneficiaries.
Saudi Reef spokesperson Majed Al-Buraikan said the participation aims to boost the presence of national products in regional and international markets and highlight the quality of goods produced by smallholder farmers and rural families.
He said the program’s support for initiatives that develop agricultural value chains, open new markets, foster cooperation and knowledge exchange in sustainable agriculture, and expand partnerships across GCC states to grow the sector locally and regionally.
Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli also attended the opening day on Feb. 12, touring several pavilions with Qatar’s Minister of Municipality Abdullah Al-Attiya and other officials and ambassadors.
The Saudi delegation highlighted the Kingdom’s efforts to strengthen the agricultural sector and promote private-sector engagement in sustainable agriculture. They also emphasized the role of food-processing industries in enhancing food security locally and regionally.
The Kingdom has achieved notable progress in self-sufficiency: 118 percent for dates, 101 percent for eggs, 78 percent for vegetables, 69 percent for poultry, and 61.5 percent for fish — demonstrating growth in domestic production and reduced reliance on imports, the SPA said.
Saudi Arabia also presented incentives to encourage investment in modern agricultural technologies and innovation, including allocation of investment land, financing through the Agricultural Development Fund, streamlined licensing procedures, and technical and advisory support for investors.
To enhance the quality and safety of national products, the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture has launched four quality labels for Saudi food products: Organic, SAMAQ, Saudi Dates Mark, and Saudi G.A.P.
The labels aim to increase product market value, support farmers and investors in marketing and exporting, expand access to local and global markets, and provide a trusted standard for quality, safety, and classification.
