The debate surrounding organ transplants resumed in Algeria after local surgeons successfully completed the first organ transplant surgery at the Ibn Badis hospital in Constantine, east of Algiers, from a deceased donor in his fifties.

Algerian Health Minister Mohamed Merawi considered this a “great achievement” in record time through three successful transplants to three patients who were on the organ waiting list. The 18-hour organ removal was conducted by a multidisciplinary Algerian medical team comprising specialists in surgery, neurology, forensic medicine and medical imaging.

The multi-organ (kidney and liver) procedure follows four years of perseverance and comes after 28 attempts at this breakthrough.