The Sickle Cell Foundation Nigeria (SCFN) has partnered with the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) to establish Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT), to effectively treat patients with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD).

Speaking at an event in Lagos, the founder of the foundation, Prof. Olu Akinyanju, said the foundation was established 30 years ago as an entity to tackle all aspects of sickle cell disease, from advocacy, training and research to prevention, treatment, care and support. .

He explained that the foundation is eager to bring the cure to this disorder to Nigerians living in Nigeria.

He said the foundation’s partnership with the Mediterranean Institute of Hematology (IME) in Rome enabled 50 Nigerian children with sickle cell disease to undergo successful free bone marrow transplants in Italy.

“Unfortunately, this partnership was discontinued in 2015 due to funding constraints in Rome.

Akinyanju revealed that in October 2024, SCFN achieved a historic breakthrough by carrying out the first Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) in Nigeria and West Africa, using cutting-edge technology and expertise in partnership with LUTH .

The foundation’s chief executive officer, Dr. Annette Akinsete, said the foundation partnered with LUTH because Nigeria is the sickle cell capital of the world.

She said the foundation is committed to the treatment of sickle cell disease, particularly in children living with the disease.

Chairman, Sickle Cell Foundation Nigeria, Chief Tunde Afolabi, said the partnership was aimed at tackling the burden of sickle cell disease in Nigeria.

He said sickle cell disease remains a significant public health problem globally, affecting nearly 100 million people and accounting for more than 50 percent of deaths among people with the most severe form of the disease.