Tanzania has opened its first bone marrow transplant centre in the capital, Dodoma.
According to the director of Benjamin Mkapa Hospital, it marks a milestone for the country’s health sector and the unit will focus on treating patients with sickle cell.
Very few countries in Africa offer bone marrow transplants – only Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, South Africa and Tunisia have similar treatment programmes.
Sickle cell is an inherited disorder and most cases are found in sub-Saharan Africa.
It is caused by a faulty gene that affects how red blood cells develop and the condition can cause severe pain and organ failure.
A bone marrow transplant replaces bone marrow with healthy cells.
It is also used to treat patients with leukemia or blood cancer.
