Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi has given orders to establish the largest organ transplant center in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) as of Monday, 26 September. The project is in cooperation with an unnamed international partner.

Presidential Spokesman Bassem Rady explained that the transplant center will include an automated database of organ transplantation, patients, and donors. Al-Sisi’s announcement was made at a meeting with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, Minister of Health and Population Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, and Head of the Engineering Authority of the Armed Forces, Major General Hisham El Swefy. This is intended to bolster Egypt’s efforts to enhance its healthcare system.

The center will be located in Cairo’s “integrated medical city”, which is being developed on the premises of the Nasser Medical Institute. Earlier in July, Al-Sisi called for the renovation of the Nasser Medical Institute, upgrading it into an integrated city.

While organ donation has been a matter of controversy in Egypt, Egypt’s Dar Al Iftaa, issued a statement on its Facebook page, explaining that post-mortem organ donation is permitted to be used in the treatment of patients.

“Treatment by transferring and transplanting a human organ from a deceased person to a living person in need is permissible according to Sharia Law, if conditions are met,” as said in the statement. It is permissible as long as it is not manipulative or turned into a ‘spare parts’ trade where they are sold and bought.”

A person who wishes to donate their organs should document their desire with the Real Estate Registry, provide the applicant’s national ID card, and sign a paper acknowledging the organ donation is without benefit or a financial return.