Last update:
09-Sep-2020

Nephrology was first recognised as a specialty in 1960, haemodialysis (HD) first used in clinical practice in 1960–1965 and peritoneal dialysis (PD) in 1978. Egypt started dialysis in 1958 with a first dialysis department in 1979. Currently, there are 70,000 HD patients in Egypt. Algeria performed PD, HD for acute cases in 1962 and 1971 respectively. In Sudan, there are 60 dialysis centres, treating 6000 patients; of these 122 are on PD. The first haemodialysis was performed in Iraq in 1964. Morocco started HD in 1978. Saudi Arabia entered the field of HD in 1972; currently there are 184 dialysis units, while PD started in 1980. Dialysis in Yemen began in 1980. The Syrian national dialysis program was launched in 1986. Tunisia used PD for acute cases in 1962 with the first artificial kidney one year later. Nowadays, there are 13 dialysis units. Jordan performed its first dialysis in 1968; today there are 84 HD centres. The United Arab Emirates initiated PD in 1976 and HD in 1977. The first two dialysis units in Libya came in 1971 and 1979. Lebanon used PD for acute cases in the late fifties and started PD in 1994; currently there are 61 HD centres. The Oman Nephrology service started in 1981 and first PD patient was treated in 1983. In Kuwait, dialysis started in 1976 and today there are 9 centres. Qatar introduced PD in 1976 and HD in 1981. Lastly, Bahrain started HD in 1972. Highlighting this history sheds light on Arab experiences, aiming for achievements in the future.

Key words: Nephrology Arab world, Chronic kidney disease, Hemodialysis, Hemodialysis history, Nephrology history.