THE NATION
The Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), in partnership with Sickle Cell Foundation Nigeria (SCFN), has started a high-quality, safe bone marrow transplant programme that meets international standards for the cure of sickle cell disease.
A joint statement by the hospital’s Chief Medical Director (CMD), Prof. Wasiu Adeyemo and the National Director of Sickle Cell Foundation Nigeria (SCFN), Dr. Annette Akinsete, announced this yesterday in Lagos.
It said Nigeria had the most significant burden of sickle cell disease worldwide, explaining that individuals affected by the disease suffer life-threatening complications from early childhood, serious damage to their organs and reduced life expectancy.
The statement said: “Recognising the gaps in care for individuals affected by the disease in Nigeria, SCFN and LUTH established a bone marrow transplant programme at LUTH.
“In preparation for a locally adapted and cost-effective bone marrow transplant programme in Nigeria, a post-transplant clinic was initially established in 2019, a first in sub-Saharan Africa, to provide post-transplant care to patients who had travelled to other countries for bone marrow or stem cell transplants…
“The establishment of comprehensive care programmes includes newborn screening, penicillin prophylaxis, and Transcranial Doppler screening in children to identify those at risk of stroke.
“This is followed by chronic blood transfusion therapy and the increasing use of hydroxyurea therapy has improved the proportion of children surviving into adulthood.
“But it has not improved the proportion of adults living to older age, especially for the most severely affected.
“Bone marrow transplant, using a donor from a family member, is an established cure for this disease,” the statement said.
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