The Greater Accra Regional Hospital (Ridge) has launched its Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) and Stem Cell Therapy Unit, marking a historic achievement in Ghana’s healthcare sector and Sub-Saharan Africa at large.
This facility, the first of its kind in the country, promises to provide cutting-edge treatments for a range of life-threatening conditions, offering innovative approaches in regenerative medicine.
The BMT unit, which was inaugurated by Dr. Pradeep V. Mahajan, Chairman and Managing Director of STRRX Bioscience Solutions PVT LTD, is set to address major health concerns, including leukaemia, breast and colon cancers, sickle cell disease, arthritis, and neurological disorders.
During the event in Accra on November 19, 2024, Dr. Mahajan emphasized that the facility is introducing internationally recognized medical technologies, making them affordable for the local population.
He noted that these innovations will allow Ghanaian patients to access world-class treatments without the high costs typically associated with such care.
“This facility introduces globally comparable medical technologies at affordable costs,” said Dr. Mahajan during the launch event in Accra on November 19, 2024.
The Stem Cell Therapy Unit will also extend its services to treat neurological and autoimmune diseases, such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), ADHD, Down Syndrome, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, diabetes, hypertension, and Parkinson’s disease.
Prof. George Awuku-Asare, a leading scientist at the unit, discussed the center’s dual purpose of offering advanced treatments while also fostering medical research.
“Patients can now maintain the same joint for a lifetime, without cuts, anesthesia, or surgical interventions,” he added.
Andelene Thysse, Chief Executive of STEM Cell Africa, based in Cape Town, South Africa, shared a personal account of her child’s struggle with sickle cell disease. She encouraged mothers whose children suffer from similar conditions to seek expert medical intervention, noting that her own child survived due to professional care.
In collaboration with the Comprehensive Sickle Cell Anemia Foundation Clinic, the new unit introduced Automated Red Cell Exchange Transfusion, a procedure that replaces damaged red blood cells with healthy ones.
This treatment alleviates pain, reduces complications, and helps prevent iron overload in vital organs.