27th July 2010: The stem cell support unit is in its final stages of commissioning. The room changes have been completed, equipment installed and we are awaiting delivery of certain reagents and preservative materials to begin stem cell harvesting and storage said Dr. Muhanna Al Muslahi, Senior Consultant Haematologist & Head of the Directorate of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine at the Royal Hospital.
Dr. Muhanna further said that two staff has been trained at The King Hussein Medical Centre in Jordan – one in stem cell collection and the other in processing and storage. Two other staff have been trained at the Royal Free Hospital in London for six weeks. Additionally, one staff is completing a specialised course in Stem Cell / Tissue and Organ Transplant from British Blood Transfusion Society and will then go to the Egypt National Cancer Institute, and then to Bristol (UK) to solidify her knowledge and experience. Dr. Muhanna further added that two Doctors are currently under training in Canada and Saudi Arabia and are expected back after two years. All these staff will greatly contribute to the commissioning and running of the high tech service.
Autologous stem cell collection and transplantation will be initiated by the end of 2010 or early next year once the expansion of the National Oncology Centre has been completed. Cord blood storage is feasible, but it will not be offered at this time. It will be considered in the future. Eventually allogenic bone marrow transplantation will also be initiated at the Royal Hospital after assessing the projected workload, costs and the availability of other supportive services.
This unit could not have been set up without the great support of H.E The Minister of Health and other authorities within the Ministry and the Royal Hospital. The generous financial donation from Oman LNG further facilitated the whole project to come to fruition.
Mr. Mohd. Ali Al Rawahi, Haematology Technologist who will work in this unit stated, “working at Royal Free Hospital was a new experience for me and very challenging. My eighteen years experience in Blood Transfusion was a great help. The field of Stem Cell transplantation is rapidly evolving with many new clinical applications being developed. My colleagues and I wish to thank the DGET at the Ministry of Health for their support.”