The University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, in partnership with US researchers uncovered a new cure for Sickle Cell Anaemia.

An official of the hospital disclosed this at a press conference organised on Friday by the UCH in collaboration with researchers from the Department of Haematology and Oncology, University of Illinois, USA, a new cure without toxic chemotherapy was unveiled.

The Chief Medical Director the UCH, Professor Temitope Alonge, said the problems associated with sickle cell treatment and management was becoming increasingly difficult to quantify, a situation that led to the research.

Professor Alonge added that the challenges needed to be tackled headlong, as more patients were presenting with Sickle Cell Anaemia in adulthood.

The leader of the group from the University of Illinois, Professor Damiano Randell, explained that the new procedure of bone marrow transplant had eliminated the usual chemotherapy which had been toxic to vital organs of sufferers and replaced it with a safer bone marrow transplant.

The available statistics from Consultant Haematologist at the UCH, Dr. Titilola Akingbola, showed that more than three per cent of Nigerians were suffering from the disease. Dr. Akingbola warned that the number could increase greatly if something drastic was not done.

She added that UCH alone had over 2,000 registered sufferers being managed, while new cases of late presentation of the disorder are on the increase. (Channels TV)

•Photo shows sickle cell patient.

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