After years of research and planning, the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) has successfully launched a bone marrow transplant programme for people with sickle cell disease (SCD).
The new program would allow people with sickle cell disease to access a bone marrow transplant locally through a procedure that involves replacing the patient's diseased stem cells with healthy cells from a compatible family donor.
It is the first locally available bone marrow transplant program in the country for the treatment of sickle cell disease.
According to a statement jointly signed by the hospital's Chief Medical Director, Professor Wasiu Adeyemo, and Sickle Cell Foundation's National Director and CEO, Annette Akinsete, the programme is an initiative of the two institutions.
The statement said the teaching hospital and SCFN decided to introduce the initiative after identifying gaps in the treatment of sickle cell disease patients in the country.
He added that the first group of sickle cell patients who were admitted to the program in August are currently receiving bone marrow transplants at the hospital.
The statement reads in part: “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 administered this week (September 17 and 19).
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“Both patients are currently receiving immediate post-transplant care at the Transplant Unit of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital.”
SCD in Nigeria
While the process carries risks such as infection and infertility, major advances in research over the past 20 years have greatly improved outcomes.
LUTH, in its statement, said the newly established bone marrow transplant programme in Nigeria meets international standards for the cure of sickle cell disease.
The prevalence of sickle cell disease in Nigeria is approximately 20 per 1,000 births. Furthermore, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 24 percent of the Nigerian population carries mutant genes for the disease.
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A study published by the Lancet journal showed that Nigeria has the highest prevalence of sickle cell disease at birth in the world, with an estimated 150,000 babies born annually with sickle cell anaemia, the most common form of sickle cell disease.
Meanwhile, the WHO said in 2014 that at least 100,000 babies die from the disorder in Nigeria every year.
Despite this, medical care for people with sickle cell disease has been limited and bone marrow transplants, the only known cure for the disease, have not been available in the country.
Mr. Adeyomo said that “leaders from the Sickle Cell Foundation of Nigeria (SCFN) and Lagos University College Hospital (LUTH) established a bone marrow transplant programme at LUTH” after recognising the gaps in care for affected people in Nigeria,
He said the programme is guided by in-depth scientific research and expertise carried out by a team of senior health professionals within and outside Nigeria.
A UK specialist, Josu de la Fuente, from Imperial College London Healthcare NHS Trust UK, joined the team to help with the paediatric aspects of the programme.
The statement noted: “In preparation for a locally tailored and cost-effective bone marrow transplant programme in Nigeria, a post-transplant clinic was initially established in 2019, the 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, thereby developing clinical expertise in post-transplant care.
“Transplant nursing has been supported by the World Network for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (WBMT), which offers in-person and virtual training at regular intervals.”