The National Kidney Exchange Between Families Program in Saudi Arabia, known as "Minna W feena"  is a pioneering initiative designed to improve the chances of kidney failure patients finding matching  living donors for kidney transplants. The program centers around the concept of organ exchange between two or more families in cases where the kidney donated  from a living donor does not match the recipient. By facilitating this exchange, the program broadens the search for donors to include larger communities, significantly increasing the likelihood of finding a more compatible living donor.

 

The Objectives of the National Kidney Exchange Program Between Families

The program's primary goal is to make it easier to find a compatible living donor by exchanging lists of donors among different kidney transplant centers across the Kingdom, aligning with the objectives of the Health Sector Transformation Program and Saudi Vision 2030. Often, transplantation is hindered by blood type incompatibility from the donor that mostly is a family member, or the presence of antibodies against the donor's tissues, forcing patients to wait many years to find a compatible donor. This is where the National Kidney Exchange Program becomes crucial, aiming to reduce these wait times and offer innovative solutions for patients  from other families having the same issue.

The program was announced on the X platform on August 13, 2024, highlighting its goals and benefits, under the name "Minna W feena" which means in Arabic: “From us and among us”  symbolizing a humanitarian initiative dedicated to saving lives.

 

 

Benefits of the National Kidney Exchange Between Families Program

The program offers several significant benefits, including:

1. Increased Chances of Finding a Donor: By expanding the search to include donors from other families, the likelihood of compatibility increases.

2. Reduced Risks of Transplant Surgery: Finding a more compatible donor minimizes the risk of the body rejecting the transplanted organ.

3. Improved Success Rates of Transplants:  A compatible donor greatly enhances the chances of a successful transplant.

4. Extended Life Expectancy of the Transplanted Organ: Better tissue matching between donor and recipient can prolong the life of the transplanted organ.

 

The First Successful Exchange Operation
 

In a first-of-its-kind achievement in Saudi Arabia, medical teams successfully carried out a paired kidney exchange between two patients and their donors. This operation was conducted between King Fahd Specialist Hospital in Dammam and King Abdulaziz Medical City for the National Guard in Riyadh, under the supervision of the Saudi Center for Organ Transplantation. This success underscores the importance of the National Kidney Exchange Program Between Families and its ability to enhance kidney transplant opportunities for patients in need.

 

Call to Participate in the National Kidney Exchange Between Families Program
 

In this context, the Saudi Center for Organ Transplantation has invited all kidney transplant programs across the Kingdom to participate in the second phase of the National Kidney Exchange Program. The goal of this phase is to increase the percentage of living donors from 10% to 30%, which will significantly contribute to reducing wait times and improving the success rates of kidney transplants in the Kingdom.

In conclusion, the National Kidney Exchange Between Families Program, "Minna W feena" is a vital step toward improving the lives of kidney failure patients in Saudi Arabia, opening new avenues for treatment and reducing their suffering.