Overview :
World Organ Donation Week is dedicated to raising awareness of the importance of organ and tissue donation, promoting a culture of donation, and addressing misconceptions associated with it. Organ transplantation may be the best treatment, and in some cases the only treatment, for certain serious organ failure conditions, making organ donation an important opportunity to improve treatment outcomes and patients' quality of life.
Objectives:
- Raise awareness of the importance of organ donation and its role in treating organ failure.
- Promote knowledge of living and deceased donation in accordance with approved medical and regulatory requirements.
- Address misconceptions related to organ donation and transplantation.
- Encourage individuals to make informed decisions about donation and learn about the official registration procedures.
Facts:
- Organ transplantation is considered the best treatment, and in some cases the only treatment, for certain serious diseases and injuries that result in organ failure.
- More than 150,000 solid-organ transplants are performed globally each year; however, these procedures meet 10% or less of the global need.
- One deceased donor can help save the lives of up to 8 people, in addition to improving the quality of life of others through tissue donation.
- In Saudi Arabia, 1,706 organ transplants from living donors and 393 transplants from deceased donors have been recorded, according to the currently published data from the Saudi Center for Organ Transplantation.
Official Date:
Globally: September 23rd–29th, 2026.
Locally: Rabi' al-Thani 12th–18th, 1448H.
References:
Saudi Center for Organ Transplantation.
Saudi Center for Organ Transplantation.
World Health Organization – Cell, Tissue and Organ Transplantation.