A Bahraini doctor who left the kingdom as a teenager to pursue his dream of becoming a physician has risen to become one of the United Kingdom’s most respected surgeons, building a global reputation in men’s health, cancer surgery and medical research while working at some of the world’s most prestigious hospitals.
At just 46, Associate Professor Hussain Alnajjar has established himself among Britain’s leading specialists in urology, andrology, male reproductive medicine and reconstructive urological surgery, earning international recognition for his surgical expertise and ground-breaking academic work.
Remarkably, he remains the first and only doctor in his family. “I was fascinated by the human body from a very young age, especially anatomy,” he explained. “Those early experiences shaped everything that followed.”
As a young Arab student living away from home, adapting to a completely different environment was never easy.
“As a doctor studying abroad, I always looked at challenges as opportunities for growth and development rather than obstacles,” he said.
He currently serves as Consultant Urological Surgeon and Andrologist at University College London Hospitals (UCLH), one of Europe’s leading specialist medical centres, while also holding the position of Associate Professor of Urology at University College London (UCL), one of the world’s highest-ranked universities for medicine and scientific research.
Alongside his NHS work, he also practises privately at some of London’s most elite medical institutions including Cleveland Clinic London, Princess Grace Hospital and Cromwell Hospital, treating highly complex specialist cases referred from across Britain and overseas.
His academic achievements are equally remarkable. Prof Alnajjar has authored more than 150 scientific research papers published in internationally peer-reviewed journals, contributed to over 30 major medical textbook chapters, co-edited leading reference books on men’s health and generated more than 1,600 academic citations worldwide.
His research has helped shape modern treatment approaches in male infertility, erectile dysfunction, Peyronie’s disease, penile cancer, testicular cancer and genital reconstructive surgery.
Looking back at the beginning of his journey, Prof Alnajjar says everything began when he made the decision to study abroad in 1997. “I moved to London with a clear sense of purpose and dedicated myself entirely to achieving my goal of becoming a doctor,” he said.
He first completed pre-clinical studies at St Andrews Medical School in Scotland, before moving to University College London Medical School to complete his clinical medical training.
After graduation, he undertook higher specialist surgical training within the Cambridge Deanery training programme in England before completing advanced fellowship training in surgical andrology, genital cancer surgery and reconstructive urology at University College London Hospitals.
He later earned a prestigious Master of Surgery degree with distinction from the University of Edinburgh, further cementing his academic standing.
That determination helped him become one of Britain’s highest-volume surgeons performing penile prosthesis implant surgery, earning recognition as a Coloplast Centre of Excellence surgeon.
Beyond surgery, he now teaches future doctors at UCL Medical School, serves as examiner for the Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons (MRCS) examinations and contributes to specialist training programmes internationally.
His leadership extends into several prestigious organisations including the British Association of Urological Surgeons (BAUS), European Society for Sexual Medicine (ESSM), Middle East Society for Sexual Medicine (MESSM) and European Association of Urology (EAU).
One operation remains unforgettable – a 10-hour surgery on a man in his early thirties suffering advanced genital cancer. Six years later, the patient remains cancer-free.
“Seeing a patient overcome such difficult odds and return to living a full life reminds us why we dedicate ourselves to this profession,” he added.
Despite decades abroad, Prof Alnajjar says Bahrain remains central to his future ambitions.
“Bahrain will always be my home country and my motherland, and I have a deep desire to contribute to its continued development in healthcare,” he revealed.
The father-of-two says he hopes one day to work alongside Bahrain’s Health and Education ministries, helping strengthen medical research, specialist training and health awareness programmes for future generations.
mohammed@gdnmedia.bh
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