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Global perspective in transplant and patient education

Wednesday September 25, 2024 - 13:40 to 14:45

Room: Maçka

446.3 Reinvigorating Organ Transplantation in Libya: A Personal Journey Through Health Reform and Its Impact

Ehtuish Farag Ehtuish, Libya

President of thr Libyan National General Authority for Organ, Tissue and cell transplantation
Surgery
Libyan National General Authority for Organ, Tissue and cell transplantation

Biography

Dr. Ehtuish Farag Ehtuish M.B., M.S., PH.D., SURG. SPEC;
Full Professor of Surgery, Medical School-Tripoli University; 1999
Consultant Surgery Department Central Hospital; 1994– Now
Head surgery department, Medical school 1996–2007, 2023-2024.
Minister of health for Libya 1998 – 2001
Director of General authority for environment 2001–2003
Head surgery department Tripoli central hospital 2005–2011 and 2019-2022.
Director of the National Organ Transplant Program; 2003-2011.
President of the National General Authority for Organ tissue and cell Transplantation; 2019–NOW.
Member of Surgical Scientific Board of Libyan Board, Tripoli Libya;
Chairman, scientific board of general surgery of the Arab board for health spec. Damascus Syria 2002 –2011 and 2018-Now
Chairman Of the Libyan society of Nephrology and Renal Transplantation (LSNRT). 2005 -2011
President of Libyan Society of Endoscopic Surgery (LSES). 2006- 2011
Chairman of the Committee for institutional unification, at the Libyan National planning Council 2018 - Now
Chairman of Yes Libya national movement 2016 – Now
Head Committee for preparing National strategy for disaster management (Coved 19 as an example) 2020.
President of the board of trustees of the Arab Board for health specialisations in Libya 2023-Now

Abstract

Reinvigorating organ transplantation in Libya: A personal journey through health reform and its impact

Ehtuish Farag Ehtuish1.

1Surgery , Libyan National General Authority for Organ, Tissue and cell transplantation , Tripoli, Libya


Introduction: The landscape of organ transplantation in Libya has experienced significant fluctuations over the past decades. Initially since it is launched in 2004 the Libyan national program for organ transplantation demonstrated promising growth achieving a rate of 11.3 transplants per million per year by 2010, with all procedures involving living donors and focusing exclusively on kidney transplants. However, the ensuing internal conflict severely impacted the program, leading to a noticeable decline in transplantation activities, this study provides a personal narrative on the efforts to re-launch and upgrade the program amidst these challenges. culminating in establishment of Libyan National General Authority for Organ, Tissue and cell transplantation.
Methods: The study adopts a quantitative approach, detailing the strategic steps taken to rejuvenate the National transplantation program, these steps include legislative reform. Infrastructure enhancement, public awareness campaigns, and international collaboration to adopt best practice. The methodology underscores the pivotal role of leadership in navigating the program through the complexities of post conflict recovery and health system reform.
Results: Since the re-launch of the Libyan National General Authority for Organ, Tissue and cell transplantation in 2020 as a replacement of the Libyan National program for organ transplantation, the authority shows improvement till 2023, when the revamped program marked a significant milestones, conducting, 45 kidney transplants, which translates to a rate of 6.5 transplants per million per year, this achievement, though not not restoring the program to its peak performance, signifies a notable recovery and a positive trajectory in the context of the country's ongoing challenges.
Conclusion: The re-launch of the Libya's organ transplantation program and its subsequent upgrade into a national authority represent a critical step forward in health reform and service delivery in a post-conflict setting. Despite not fully recovering to pre-war transplantation rate, the program revitalization underscores the potential for health system resilience and the importance of strategic leadership in overcoming adversity. The experience highlights significant implications for health policy, system reform and the broader field of organ transplantation within challenging environments. Future efforts will focus on expanding the scope of transplants beyond kidneys, enhancing donor registration and continuing to build capacity for a sustainable increase in transplantation rates.

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