Univeristy of Ibadan and 2 American University discover cure for Sickle cell.

The University of Ibadan (UI), in partnership with two American universities, on Wednesday, announced the discovery of a permanent cure for the sickle cell disease. The cure which was described as less risky and with a potential to help over 5 million Africans living with the disease, was the outcome of a research carried out by UI in alliance with medical experts at the University of Illinois and the University of Loyola, both in Chicago.

 The cure for the deadly disease, according to the Director of the Sickle Cell Centre at the University of Illinois,  Professor Victor Gordeuk, his colleague, Prof. Damiano Rondelli, and Prof. Bamidele Tayo from the University of Loyola, Chicago, will be done through a bone marrow transplant. The experts explained that unlike the other conventional method of stem cell transplant which exposes patients to radiation that could cause cancer, first blood and marrow stem cell transplant, BMT, is much more effective.

Also present at the announcement of the cure was the Chief Medical Director, UCH, Prof. Temitope Alonge, and two other doctors from the hospital: Dr. Titilola Akingbola, a haematologist and Dr. Foluke Fasola. Professor Gordeuk said: “With this chemotherapy-free transplant, we are curing adults with sickle cell disease, and we see that their quality of life improves fast within just one month of the transplant.”

He added, “In the new procedure, patients receive immuno-suppressive drugs just before the transplant, along with a very low dose of total body irradiation, a treatment much less harsh and with fewer potentially serious side effects than chemotherapy.” The CMD, Prof. Alonge, called for support from government, philanthropists, donor agencies and corporate bodies for provision of equipment and completion of the sickle cell centre.