The Greater Accra Regional Hospital (Ridge) has launched a Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) and Stem Cell Therapy Unit, marking a milestone in healthcare for Ghana and Sub-Saharan Africa.

The two facilities, which are the first centres of excellence in Africa, promises advanced solutions for life-threatening diseases and regenerative medicine.

The BMT unit, inaugurated by Dr. Pradeep V. Mahajan, Chairman and Managing Director of STRRX Bioscience Solutions PVT LTD, aims to address critical health challenges, including leukaemia, breast and colon cancers, sickle cell disease, arthritis, and neurological disorders.

“This facility introduces globally comparable medical technologies at affordable costs,” Dr. Mahajan who is also the co-partner of the Stem Cell Unit said during the launch event in Accra on November 19, 2024.

He highlighted innovations in joint regeneration technology, allowing patients to avoid repeated surgeries.

“Patients can now maintain the same joint for a lifetime, without cuts, anesthesia, or surgical interventions,” he added.

The Stem Cell Therapy Unit will further expand its scope to treat neurological and autoimmune conditions such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), ADHD, Down Syndrome, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, diabetes, hypertension, and Parkinson’s disease.

Prof. George Awuku-Asare, a lead scientist and Executive Chief Director at the Stem Cell Therapy Unit, emphasized its dual role in providing advanced treatments and fostering research.

“This centre will not only enhance healthcare delivery but also serve as a hub for training African scientists and medical professionals. It represents a vital step in retaining and building talent within the continent,” he stated.

Andelene Thysse, the Chief Executive of STEM Cell Africa in Cape Town, South Africa, advised mothers whose children are battling sickle cell and other disorders to seek help from professional medical practitioners.

According to her, she had a child who had a similar situation, and with the intervention of medical experts, the child survived.

In collaboration with the Comprehensive Sickle Cell Anemia Foundation Clinic, the unit introduced Automated Red Cell Exchange Transfusion for sickle cell patients.

This state-of-the-art procedure replaces damaged red blood cells with healthy ones, alleviating pain, minimizing complications, and reducing iron accumulation in vital organs.