Experts eye gene therapy in treating sickle cell

THE Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS), in collaboration with SickleInAfrica, SPARCO, SADaCC and other international organisations, have launched a symposium on sickle cell disease and the invasion of new treatment of gene therapy to help the patients.

The symposium that was held at MUHAS on Wednesday focused on newborn screening and gene therapy for sickle cell disease, including looking on the challenges and prospects in Africa.

Chief Medical Officer Professor Tumaini Nagu officiated at the opening of the symposium on behalf of the Minister for Health, Ms Ummy Mwalimu.

According to Prof Nagu, about seven per cent of babies born every year in Tanzania have sickle cell disease and the government is working hard to improve the primary health services to help the children.

Agreeing on the theme of the symposium, Prof Nagu said that she believes that gene therapy will be much of help in dealing with sickle cell disease, adding that the findings from the expertise on gene therapy will help Tanzania and other African countries to address the problem.

Speaking to journalists on the sideline of the symposium, Prof Nagu said that the medication that helps sickle cell patients –Hydroxyurea- is currently available in most hospitals and at Medical Stores Department (MSD).

She directed   experts to make sure that the medicine is produced in the country to reduce costs.

She expressed gratitude to President Samia Suluhu Hassan for dishing out 5bn/- for bone marrow and kidney transplants, saying that will help to reduce the cost because the treatment will be administered in the country instead of spending a lot of money for referrals abroad.

On his part, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academics, Research and Consultancy Prof Apollinary Kamuhabwa said MUHAS is honoured to be the host of the symposium which aims to show the cause, treatment and breakthrough of sickle cell patients.

“We have carried out a lot of research on sickle cell patients especially newborns, and we also found that the use of hydroxyurea was helping them to fight the pain,” said Prof Kamuhabwa.

He added that currently they are moving to the advanced step on gene therapy research where he said that the treatment will be on changing the genetics of the patient, saying that will be a revolution in the treatment because it completely cures the patient.

“We are focusing on carrying out researches on gene therapy in collaboration with other researchers   from America, England, Asia and other African countries through sickle cell disease programme. We want to make sure that we, as Tanzanians, participate in making that cure happen,” Prof Kamuhabwa added.

Tanzania is the 5th country with a large number of sickle cell patients led by Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Angola and India. The symposium is aimed at sensitising the public on the disease, including charting out strategies on how to the use gene therapy which is said to be a solution to the problem.