Nigeria records first stem cell transplant

Nigeria records first stem cell transplant

Nigeria has become the third country in Africa, after Egypt and South Africa, to have a successful stem cell transplant where a sickle cell anaemia patient had his cells replaced with those free from the sickle cell disease.

Beneficiaries

Report says other category of patients that could benefit from the transplant include those afflicted with cancer that could lose composure after rigorous chemotherapy.

Also patients with leukemia, thalassemia (a hereditary form of anemia that is caused by a dysfunction in the synthesis of the red blood pigment hemoglobin) and multiple myeloma could benefit from the feat.

The Chief Medical Director, CMD of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Prof. Michael Ibadin, briefed newsmen that a seven-year old sickle cell anaemia patient who had suffered stroke was the first beneficiary of the transplant after he got a match from his 14-year old brother.

He said the breakthrough was achieved through collaboration with the University of Basel, Switzerland where selected workers of the hospital led by Dr. Nosakhare Bazuaye were trained for one year.

Cost

Ibadin said it would cost between 2.5 million naira and 5 million naira for a patient adding that the hospital would have to be very selective in its choice of patients to reduce expected pressure and work towards acquiring more equipment for the transplant.

The CMD who said the same transplant could cost as much as N25 million abroad, revealed that the hospital spent N2.1 million on drugs alone for the first beneficiary.

Ibadin commended the Nigerian President, Goodluck Jonathan, Minister of Health, Prof. Oyebuchi Chukwu and the management of UBTH for supporting the hospital to achieve the breakthrough.

He said the project was initiated by his predecessor in office.

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NP /Adekusibe/Ekata