Worried by the high cost of the treatment of sickle cell disorders and other cancer-related ailments in Nigeria, the Chief Medical Director of Igbinedion University Teaching Hospital (IUTH), Prof Godwin Bazuaye has called on the federal government to grant a waiver for transplant drugs so as to reduce the cost of treatment.
Buoyed by the successful first stem transplant breakthrough carried out at Igbinedion University Teaching Hospital (IUTH) Okada, Edo state, Bazuaye who spoke in Benin yesterday said stem cell transplantation is a cutting edge medicine that takes two to three months.
Against the backdrop of the rising cases of sickle cell anaemia, he lamented that the patients have become a huge burden to many families in Africa.
Bazuaye pleaded: “We call on the federal government and all necessary agencies to collaborate with IUTH and IUO to providing Africans with a centre of medical excellence and medical tourism.”
While appealing for government’s support to reduce the disease by granting a waiver for transplant drugs for patients, he disclosed that he has successfully carried out 12 transplants for sickle cell patients.
Bazuaye noted that waivers for transplant drugs will not only reduce the cost of treatment for patients but check medical tourism, as many patients usually seek medical attention overseas particularly in India.
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He said that the successful Autologous Stem Cell Transplant for the patient with multiple myeloma (Bone Marrow Cancer) at IUTH was achieved with the combined effort of experts from the hospital and a private firm, Celltek Healthcare Medical Centre.
He continued: “Igbinedion University Teaching Hospital (IUTH) and Igbinedion University Okada (IUO) are currently transforming the health sector to provide a centre of excellence and medical tourism in Okada.
“This is the beginning of our plans to retrofit and reposition IUTH to its days of pride as the centre of excellence and Medical tourism in Africa.
“We are establishing an Ultramodern Diagnostic Centre, Radiotherapy centre with the latest technology for total body irradiation and an International Transplant centre for stem cell transplant, kidney transplant, other organ transplant and IVF.” Bazuaye said.
He sued for partnership from the federal government in the area of sickle cell anaemia cure in the country, stressing that the International Transplant Centre to be situated at Okada would be the first in sub-Sahara black Africa to provide Africans with a cutting edge medicine that cost over Eighty Million Naira in Europe and America.
Vice-Chancellor, Igbinedion University Okada (IUO), Prof. Lawrence Ezemonye lauded the collaboration and efforts of experts from the institution’s Centre of Genetic Disease and Stem Cell Research of the Department of Hematology and IUTH for the medical feat.
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