Uganda Achieves First Homegrown Bone Marrow Transplant, Cancer Patient Discharged
KAMPALA, Uganda — In a landmark medical milestone, Uganda has successfully completed its first homegrown bone marrow transplant, ending the need for patients to seek expensive treatment abroad.
Stephen Sande, a 45-year-old Kampala resident who was diagnosed with multiple myeloma — a form of blood cancer — was discharged on April 24 by Health Minister Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng. The procedure was carried out by a team of Ugandan specialists led by Dr. Clement Okello and Dr. Henry Ddungu, who managed everything from donor matching to post-transplant recovery.
Speaking at the discharge ceremony at the Uganda Cancer Institute, Dr. Aceng hailed the achievement as proof of “world-class ‘Made in Uganda’ care” and pledged to work toward making future treatments more affordable for citizens.
Sande, who had previously resigned himself to death, described his recovery as “clearing a bad loan” and thanked the medical team for giving him new life. The breakthrough not only reduces reliance on costly overseas medical trips but also opens the door for treating other conditions, including sickle cell disease, in the future.
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