The Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) has successfully completed a second round of bone marrow transplants for patients living with sickle cell disease (SCD), following its groundbreaking first set in August 2024. Preparations are now underway for a third cycle scheduled for August 2025.
Dr Adeseye Akinsete, a Paediatric Haematologist at LUTH, disclosed this during an interview on Thursday in Lagos, as part of activities marking the 2025 World Sickle Cell Day, celebrated annually on 19 June.
The theme for this year’s World Sickle Cell Day is “Global Action, Local Impact: Empowering Communities for Effective Self-Advocacy.” It underscores the importance of amplifying the voices of individuals directly or indirectly affected by sickle cell anaemia, including patients, their families, and caregivers.
Reflecting on the success of the programme, Dr Akinsete stated:
“The procedure which was performed on the first set of patients represents a major breakthrough in the country’s medical landscape and underscores the growing capacity of local healthcare facilities to provide advanced treatments for complex conditions like SCD.
This achievement marked a turning point for Nigeria, a country with the highest burden of sickle cell disease in the world, where an estimated 150,000 children are born with the condition each year.”
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He added that all patients who underwent the procedure are alive and in stable condition.
“All transplanted patients were alive, well and with functioning stem cell grafts,” he confirmed.
The LUTH transplant team, according to Akinsete, has significantly improved the treatment process, making it more efficient and accessible.
“The process has been improved significantly and it is more efficient. Nigerians are gradually becoming more aware of the programme in Lagos, and the last set included a patient from outside Lagos,” he noted.
LUTH also operates a dedicated post-transplant clinic to care for patients who undergo the procedure abroad, ensuring continuity of care across the country.
“This has been a very successful service, giving care to people from all over the country. This service utilises virtual consultation means to reach people outside Lagos,” Akinsete explained.
He further emphasised the life-changing potential of bone marrow transplants in the fight against SCD.
“Curative therapies offer a new lease of life for individuals affected by sickle cell anaemia,” he said.
The success of LUTH’s bone marrow transplant programme signals a critical step forward in localising access to curative treatment for one of Nigeria’s most prevalent genetic conditions, offering renewed hope to thousands of families.
