The University of Benin Teaching Hospital said it has successfully conducted its first stem cell transplant on a patient with blood cancer .Consultant Haematologist and Coordinator of UBTH stem cell transplant centre Dr. Bazuaye Godwin, who led the doctors in collaboration with Celltek Healthcare in Benin City, said the patient is currently in the isolation room and responding to therapy.
Bazuaye said the collaboration with Celltek Healthcare has helped to recommence transplant and have successfully conducted six stem cell transplantation for sickle cell disease.He said: “In collaboration with Sudabelt, Terumo BCT and global blood funds, we successfully carried out the first stem cell harvest with the latest Optra Spectra machine on July 4.
“We successfully transplanted the stem cells to the patient with multiple myeloma. This is the first record of a successful stem cell transplant for patients with blood cancer in Nigeria. The patient is currently in the isolation room and responding to therapy. “Celltek Healthcare medical centre became operational in December 2017, and it is the only functioning stem cell transplant centre in the entire Sub-Sahara Africa, except South Africa and some North African countries.”