Shafaq News-Baghdad
A specializedmedical team at the National Center for Teaching Blood Diseases and Bone MarrowTransplantation in Baghdad successfully performed a bone marrow transplant on a9-year-old girl diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, Iraq's Ministry ofHealth announced.
The procedureused stem cells collected from the patient's 18-month-old sister, who is theyoungest stem cell donor on record in Iraq. The two sisters achieved a 100%compatibility match, according to the ministry's statement.
All requiredmedical and laboratory examinations were completed before the operation. Boththe patient and her donor sister are reported to be in good health. Theministry credited the outcome to the center's medical, nursing, anesthesia, andsupport teams.
Established in2002, the National Center for Teaching Blood Diseases and Bone MarrowTransplantation is Iraq's premier public hematology facility, located withinthe Medical City Complex (Madinat al-Tibb), one of the largest hospital complexes in Baghdad, inthe Rusafa district. The center specializes in treating leukemia, lymphoma, andthalassemia, and serves as the capital's primary institution for stem celltransplants. It has performed over 400 autologous transplants since 2013, withIraq's first successful allogeneic transplant, using a compatible donor,completed in 2022.
Over 45% ofIraq's annual health budget is dedicated to cancer treatment, coveringchemotherapy, surgeries, and diagnostic tests provided free of charge, yetdemand has surged far beyond capacity.
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