On World Organ Donation Day, Baby Ahmed Yahya’s survival from an ultra-rare genetic disorder shines a light on the life-saving impact of living organ donation.
Abu Dhabi, August 13, 2025: Burjeel Medical City (BMC), the flagship facility of Burjeel Holdings, has successfully performed the UAE’s youngest infant liver transplant, saving the life of five-month-old Baby Ahmed Yahya, who was diagnosed with an ultra-rare genetic disorder. This milestone surgery was made possible through the living liver donation of his aunt and the expertise of a highly skilled multidisciplinary team.
A Second Chance After Heartbreak
For parents Yahya and Zainab Al Yassi, this year’s World Organ Donation Day carries profound personal meaning. Baby Ahmed, their fifth child, is the couple’s first surviving boy after the loss of another son, also named Ahmed in honor of his grandfather, to liver disease in 2010. When the newborn’s liver enzyme levels rose shortly after birth, doctors diagnosed him with ATP6AP1-related congenital disorder of glycosylation, a genetic condition with fewer than 25 known cases worldwide.
“This disease is a severe, multisystem condition that particularly affects the liver. In Ahmed’s case, the disorder was progressing rapidly toward liver failure. Given the rarity of the condition, there were no clear answers, only tough questions. Yet we had to act,” said Dr. Johns Shaji Mathew, Abdominal Transplant and Hepato-Pancreatico-Biliary Surgeon at BMC.
Due to his critical condition, an urgent liver transplant became the only option. To avoid delays, the family sought a living donor. Ms. Haifaa, Ahmed’s aunt and the wife of his father’s brother, stepped forward and was found to be a perfect match.
“I still remember the pain when we lost our first son to liver disease. When we heard our second son had a similar problem, I thought this was our destiny. But the doctors at BMC gave us new hope. And my sister-in-law gave us life again,” said Yahya.
“I read everything I could find about organ donation. I realized that donating part of my liver could save his life, and I knew I had to do it. It is a bond that nothing in this world can break,” said Ahmed’s aunt.
A Complex Procedure
The transplant took place on April 4, 2025. Led by Dr. Gourab Sen, Director – Transplant Surgery, Burjeel Abdominal Multi-Organ Transplant Program, and Dr. Johns Shaji Mathew, the surgical team prepared a mono-segment graft from the donor’s liver to fit the infant’s small abdominal cavity. Pediatric anesthesia was managed by Dr. Ramamurthy Baskaran, Division Chair of Anesthesia, along with Dr. George Jacob and Dr. Anshu S. Postoperative care was led by Dr. Kesava Ramakrishnan, Consultant, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, and his team.
“This was a precision operation that lasted 12 hours, including the donor and the recipient surgery. We used a mono-segment graft, a tiny part of the donor’s liver, shaped exactly to fit the baby’s anatomy. In an infant this small, every structure is delicate beyond imagination, each vessel was thinner than a matchstick, and the margin for error was virtually zero,” said Dr. Gourab.
Following the operation, Ahmed was extubated soon, began feeding within days, and showed excellent liver function. Pediatric intensivists, gastroenterologists, dietitians, radiologists, and rehabilitation specialists supported his recovery. He will continue to receive specialized nutritional support, immune monitoring, and family counseling under BMC’s long-term care program.
“My baby’s recovery is nothing short of a miracle. We were once a family living in fear of losing another child, but today, we are celebrating a second chance at life. I hope our story inspires others to come forward, to learn more, and to consider becoming donors. You never know whose life you might change,” said Yahya.
The HAYAT National Program invites the public to learn more about related living organ donation, where a healthy person donates to a family member in need. This life-saving act can shorten waiting times and transform lives. Speak with your healthcare provider and discover how you can give the gift of life.
For more information on how to register as an organ donor,
Visit: Hayat Organ Donation Program | Ministry of Health and Prevention (mohap.gov.ae)
