The Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), in partnership with the Sickle Cell Foundation Nigeria (SCFN), has launched Nigeria’s first locally available bone marrow transplant program for sickle cell disease (SCD) patients. The inaugural group of patients, admitted in August, are currently undergoing transplants at the hospital.
This groundbreaking program allows SCD patients to receive bone marrow transplants locally, a procedure that replaces diseased stem cells with healthy ones from a matched family donor. The program fills a critical gap in Nigeria’s healthcare system, where such treatments were previously unavailable.
In a joint statement from LUTH’s Chief Medical Director, Professor Wasiu Adeyemo, and SCFN’s National Director/CEO, Annette Akinsete, the institutions highlighted the importance of this initiative in addressing the needs of SCD patients in Nigeria. After years of research and planning, the hospital administered its first bone marrow transplants on September 17 and 19, following a treatment regimen of exchange blood transfusions, chemotherapy, and anti-infective prophylaxis.
The patients are currently receiving post-transplant care within LUTH’s transplant unit. While bone marrow transplants come with risks such as infection and infertility, advancements in research over the past two decades have significantly improved outcomes. LUTH affirmed that the new program meets international standards for the treatment of SCD.
Nigeria has the highest prevalence of sickle cell disease globally, with 24% of the population carrying the genes and an estimated 150,000 babies born annually with the condition. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that around 100,000 children die from the disease in Nigeria each year, despite limited medical care and access to curative treatments like bone marrow transplants.
Professor Adeyemo emphasized that this program was developed after recognizing the gaps in care for individuals with SCD in Nigeria. The initiative is supported by a team of local and international experts, including Dr. Josu de la Fuente from the UK’s Imperial College London Healthcare NHS Trust, who contributed to the pediatric aspects of the program.
In preparation for the launch, LUTH established a post-transplant clinic in 2019—the first of its kind in sub-Saharan Africa—providing care for patients who had traveled abroad for bone marrow transplants. The program has also received support from the Worldwide Network for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (WBMT), which provides both in-person and virtual training to transplant nurses.
