The Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), in conjunction with the Sickle Cell Foundation Nigeria (SCFN), has initiated a world-class bone marrow transplantation programme for the cure of sickle cell disease.
LUTH’s Chief Medical Director, Prof. Wasiu Adeyemo, and SCFN’s National Director, Dr. Annette Akinsete, issued a joint statement in Lagos yesterday, announcing the launch of the program.
With the highest global prevalence of sickle cell disease, Nigeria sees countless individuals endure devastating complications from childhood onwards, including organ damage and drastically shortened life expectancy.
The statement read: “Recognizing 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 transplant.
“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.”
According to the statement, bone marrow transplant is associated with known complications, such as infection and graft-versus-host disease (when donor cells can attack the patient), infertility, and even death.
It explained that the procedure has been much improved over the last 20 years to ensure good outcomes and limit complications.
It said: “Bone marrow transplant is now an approved therapy for children and adults with severe sickle cell disease. Bone marrow transplant is a complex procedure requiring a multidisciplinary team approach and involves treatment and close follow-up for approximately 12 months.”
The statement noted that the complexity and costs have severely limited those who can obtain this treatment.
It also said most have sought the treatment outside Nigeria, which causes severe hardship for patients and families.
According to the statement, the LUTH/SCFN bone marrow transplant programme consists of a high-level multidisciplinary team that includes paediatricians, adult haematologists, psychiatrists, anaesthesiologists, nurses, dieticians, pharmacists, and other ancillary health personnel.
Renowned expert Prof. Adetola Kassim of Vanderbilt University Medical Centre guided the bone marrow transplant program, and in 2022, Prof. Josudela Fuente from Imperial College London Healthcare NHS Trust UK joined the team to enhance its technical capacity.
The statement said: “The first set of patients is currently undergoing bone marrow transplants at LUTH and was admitted in the last week of August 2024.
“They received a treatment regimen of exchange blood transfusions, chemotherapy, and anti-infective prophylaxis to prepare them for the infusion of bone marrow stem cells that were harvested from family donors, processed, and given September 17 and September 19, 2024.
“Both patients are currently undergoing immediate post-transplant care within the transplant unit at LUTH.
“We want to express our appreciation to patients and families, the management of LUTH and SCFN, the board of directors, the Lagos State government, Chevron, collaborative and technical partners, and other dedicated workers who worked around the clock to ensure the success of this programme.”
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