• Home

Cord blood donations yet to take off in Dubai

Two years since the introduction of the storing of stem cells from cord blood, lifesaving cord blood donations in Dubai are yet to take off.

Blaming it on lack of knowledge and awareness, Asma Ibrahim Al Asad, Laboratory Manager of Dubai Cord Blood Centre (DCRC) located in Al Wasl Hospital, said more governmental efforts are needed to boost the donations of life-saving stem cells.

The DCRC collects and preserves umbilical cord blood stem cells for the treatment of thousands of patients suffering nationwide from various blood disorders, she said.

“The donors have the choice of keeping the stem cells for their own use, or allowing others to benefit,” she explained, adding that the storage capacity at the centre was above 1,000 blood units for the first year which has increased since then.

When set up in June, 2006, five UAE national women were the first volunteer donors at the centre who had requested that the cells should be kept for their own use. However, over these two years, we have only 1,400 cord blood units (CBUs) out of which 70 per cent are direct donors and 30 per cent volunteers, said Asma. She said in January, 2007, 82 CBUs were collected which remained the highest number of collections for that year.

The Department of Health and Medical Services centres and hospitals collected the majority of samples with 482 from Dohms and 227 from non-Dohms centres in the same year.

“The service has since then been expanded to almost all hospi tals in the emirate.

From Sharjah, Al Qasimi Hospital (under the Ministry of Health) and Al Zahra Hospital (private) remain the major contributors,” added Asma.

She pointed out that UAE nationals formed the majority of donors in 2007 (as well as overall) standing at 486, followed by 65 Indian donors and a total of 127 from other countries.

“The total figures also include 50 units that have been collected from AGCC countries besides one donation from Italy,” she said.

Explaining the procedure, Asma said that tie-ups with similar companies in these countries enable the samples to reach the UAE safely.

WHAT IT IS

Umbilical cord blood is what remains in the placenta following birth. The blood is collected after delivery. The collection process does not change labour and no blood will be taken from the baby.

The procedure is absolutely painless.

The physician or midwife will explain the procedure and how to save the baby’s blood cord after which the mother signs a consent letter for donating. Information that identifies the donor and recipient is always kept confidential.

Studies have shown that the cord blood can be stored upto 25 years. “Women can donate upon each delivery,” said Asma Ibrahim Al Asad.

How cord blood saved anaemic boy

D escribing a case study on how stem cells from the cord blood of a sibling saved the life of a young boy from Abu Dhabi, Asma said that the seven-year-old recently underwent a bone marrow transplantation surgery in the United States.

“The boy was suffering from Fanconi anaemia (FA) — an inherited anaemia that leads to bone marrow failure. His mother had two pregnancies to provide matching stem cells and save the life of her son,” explained Asma.

“But unfortunately, the cells from the first pregnancy did not match with those of her son. The cells at second delivery were a successful match.

Therefore, the saved CBUs were sent to the US from the DCRC and this helped save the life of the child,” she added. She also said that the family was still in the US as the child had to undergo engraftment procedures.

D escribing a case study on how stem cells from the cord blood of a sibling saved the life of a young boy from Abu Dhabi, Asma said that the seven-year-old recently underwent a bone marrow transplantation surgery in the United States. “The boy was suffering from Fanconi anaemia (FA) — an inherited anae- mia that leads to bone marrow failure. His mother had two pregnancies to provide matching stem cells and save the life of her son,” explained Asma. “But unfortunately, the cells from the first pregnancy did not match with those of her son. The cells at second delivery were a successful match. Therefore, the saved CBUs were sent to the US from the DCRC and this helped save the life of the child,” she added. She also said that the family was still in the US as the child had to undergo engraftment procedures.