Is the annual number of deceased donor kidney transplantations in Iran lower than the Middle Eastern countries?

Deceased donor organ donation is inadequate; hence, the number of patients on the waiting lists is progressively growing in the world. However, in Iran the deceased donor rate has increased over the past 10 years, from less than 1% by the end of year 2000 to almost 16.3% (approximately 311 cases) of kidney transplantations in 2007. Although the percentage of deceased donor kidney transplantation in some countries of the region are higher than Iran, the absolute annual number in Iran is higher than the Middle Eastern countries. The outlook for deceased donor kidney transplantation practice in Iran is promising. Meanwhile, the annual number of kidney transplantations from deceased donors in Baqiyatallah hospital, as the second transplant unit in terms of the volume of kidney transplantation in Iran, increased from 0.4% in 2002 to 14% and 31% in 2007 and 2008, respectively.