The first two Sickle Cell Disease patients admitted to the Sickle Cell Foundation of Nigeria/Lagos University Teaching Hospital, SCFN/LUTH, Bone Marrow Transplant Centre in Lagos, have been discharged and are under observation.
The patients, one paediatric and one adult, successfully underwent the first-of-its-kind Bone Marrow Transplant, BMT, in Nigeria and West Africa, heralding a groundbreaking achievement for Nigerian healthcare.
The feat was achieved at the state-of-the-art Centre following weeks of meticulous care and preparation, including chemotherapy, blood transfusions, and bone marrow stem cells harvested from family donors, then infused into the patients.
With this achievement, the SCFN in partnership with LUTH is the first non-profit organisation in Africa to lead a comprehensive bone marrow transplant initiative for sickle cell disorder.
The milestone marks a significant step forward in the treatment of sickle cell disease and other blood disorders and positions Nigeria as a hub in West Africa for advanced medical care particularly in hematology-oncology.
The Centre, equipped with advanced technology and staffed by highly skilled medical professionals, provides a comprehensive range of services for patients undergoing bone marrow transplants, even as no less than 127 potentially qualified patients are lined up to undergo the procedure.
The achievement is particularly significant for Nigeria, which has one of the highest burdens of SCD globally. Before the establishment of the center, Nigerian patients seeking bone marrow transplants had no option but to seek treatment abroad, often incurring significant costs and facing challenges related to access and affordability.
One of the mothers of the discharged patients said, “Our Bone Marrow Transplant experience has been remarkable, filled with hope and certainty. I felt confident in the exceptional care we received at the Sickle Cell Foundation Nigeria/LUTH BMT Centre. From the moment of admission to discharge, the medical staff provided round-the-clock attention,” said the mother of one of the discharged patients.
In the views of the Chairman, Board of Directors. Sickle Cell Foundation of Nigeria, Chief Tunde Afolabi, SCFN’s journey is far from over.
“These bone marrow transplants that we have carried out, while groundbreaking, remain expensive, and SCFN aims to make them accessible to those in need. Many individuals living with SCD live below the poverty line and face significant barriers to care. This underscores the critical need for multi-sectoral collaborations and funding support to create a sustainable model for treating SCD in Nigeria.”
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To address these challenges, Afolabi said SCFN is currently developing the Access to Care Programme, a digital platform that connects sponsors with patients in need of financial support, while transparently tracking funding and treatment progress.
“With hundreds of inquiries for BMT, of which 127 patients potentially qualify for the procedure, the demand for BMT is clear. SCFN continues to seek partnerships with government bodies, private organisations, and philanthropists to expand the programme. Together, we can make this life-saving cure more accessible for all Nigerians living with sickle cell disorder.”
The CEO/National Director of SCFN, Dr. Annette Akinsete, noted, “The SCFN/LUTH Bone Marrow Transplant Centre is the first of its kind in West-Africa, and we are proud to offer a safe, quality, and accessible cure for sickle cell disorder here in Nigeria. We have always believed that Nigerians deserve access to world-class healthcare at home, and this is now a reality.”
On his part, the Chief Medical Director, of LUTH, Prof. Wasiu Adeyemo, said, “Partnering with SCFN on this historic project underscores our shared commitment to improving healthcare outcomes for Nigerians living with SCD. This BMT Centre is a major leap forward in offering accessible treatment for those who need it most.”
Professor of Medicine (Haematology/Oncology) & Clinical Director, Adult Stem Cell Transplant Programme at Vanderbilt University Medical Centre, Nashville, USA, Prof. Kassim, said, “We are proud to have played a part in this groundbreaking initiative with SCFN and LUTH. The success of this global collaboration represents a major step forward in ensuring that the latest medical technologies and treatments are accessible to all, regardless of location.”
Further, Kassim who was instrumental to the success of the BMT procedures, noted, “The post-transplant care has also been thorough and attentive, with regular check-ins, adjustments to medication, and detailed follow-up tests. I truly couldn’t ask for a better experience.
“The cost of treatment abroad was simply too high. I am deeply thankful to SCFN for their dedication in making this cure possible and accessible, turning hope into a reality for us and so many others. It’s hard to put into words how grateful I feel.”
Sickle Cell Disorder remains a significant public health challenge globally, affecting nearly 100 million people and accounting for over 50 percent of deaths among those with the most severe form of the disease. In Sub-Saharan Africa, where approximately 70 percent of sickle cell births occur.
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Inadequate management has led to a high mortality rate before the age of five.
According to the SCFN, in Nigeria, 150,000 babies are born annually with SCD and over 100,000 die before their fifth birthday. In addition, an estimated 50 million people carry the sickle cell trait and are at risk of passing it on to their offspring. With the average life expectancy of individuals in Nigeria living with SCD at only 20 years, the need for an effective cure has never been more urgent.
Bone marrow transplant (BMT) is currently the only established cure for the disease. For many years, this cure has been limited and unavailable in Nigeria, the sickle cell capital of the world, forcing families to seek BMT procedures abroad at exorbitant financial and socio-cultural costs. Recognising this critical gap, SCFN, embarked on a journey to establish Nigeria’s first state-of-the-art Bone Marrow Transplant Centre.
The First Effort (2009 – 2011): Thirty years ago, Professor Olu Akinyanju OON, established Sickle Cell Foundation Nigeria as an entity to address all aspects of sickle cell disease – from advocacy, training, and research to prevention, treatment, care, and support. Eager to bring the cure for the disorder to Nigerians in Nigeria, the Foundation partnered with the Mediterranean Institute of Haematology (IME) in Rome. This collaboration enabled 50 Nigerian children with SCD to undergo free successful bone marrow transplants in Italy. Unfortunately, this partnership was discontinued in 2015 due to funding constraints in Rome.
A Second Chance (2016): Undeterred, SCFN remained committed to its mission to make available international-standard BMT in Nigeria. In 2016, Prof. Olu Akinyanju, and Dr. Annette Akinsete, CEO/National Director of SCFN, met with Prof. Adetola Kassim. Prof. Kassim is an internationally renowned professor of medicine, and Head, the Centre of Excellence for Sickle Cell Disease at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee, USA. Together, they sought to bring the technology and expertise needed for BMT to Nigeria.
To ensure a solid foundation for the BMT Programme, Sickle Cell Foundation Nigeria sponsored the training of haematologists, paediatricians, radiologists and adult physicians from LUTH in various areas of BMT at the Vanderbilt University Medical Centre in 2016, 2021, and 2022. In 2023, SCFN also sponsored the training of nurses from LUTH to India, in various aspects of BMT nursing.
Acknowledging that meaningful progress can only be achieved through strong partnerships, SCFN entered into collaborations with Vanderbilt University Medical Centre for BMT Training and with LUTH for Technical expertise, laying the groundwork for building a sustainable and world-class BMT programme.
Through SCFN’s strategic fundraising efforts and with the generous support from the Chairman of SCFN Board of Directors, Chief Tunde Afolabi, MFR, NNPC/Chevron, civil works began on the designated site in LUTH – the Olikoye Ransome-Kuti Children Emergency Centre. SCFN also received significant funding and support from the Lagos State Government, private sector organisations, and several individuals.
By 2021, SCFN had reconstructed, fully furnished, and equipped the Centre, ensuring it met international standards. The state-of-the-art SCFN/LUTH BMT Centre was formally declared open in January 2022 by the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented by the State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi.
Vanguard