How Uganda’s first bone marrow transplant could save patients millions overseas

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Uganda has recorded a major medical milestone after doctors successfully carried out the country’s first-ever bone marrow transplant on a cancer patient at the Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI), a historic breakthrough in the nation’s fight against cancer.

For many years, a cancer diagnosis in Uganda has carried an additional burden beyond illness itself, with the need to urgently seek treatment abroad. Families have often been forced into desperate fundraising efforts or the painful sale of property in order to send patients to countries such as India or South Africa, where such specialised procedures were available but far beyond local reach.

That reality is now beginning to change after doctors at the UCI successfully carried out the country’s first-ever bone marrow transplant on a cancer patient, a breakthrough that could dramatically reduce the financial burden on Ugandan families and cut dependence on costly overseas treatment.

The pioneering procedure was performed on Sande Stephen, who has been battling multiple myeloma, a cancer that affects plasma cells in the blood. After weeks of intensive care, doctors said he has responded well and is set for discharge on April 24, marking both a medical milestone and a shift in how cancer care can be accessed in Uganda.

For patients with certain blood cancers such as leukemia and lymphoma, a bone marrow transplant can be lifesaving. But until now, such procedures were out of reach domestically, forcing patients to travel abroad at enormous cost. Estimates show that bone marrow transplants can range from about $15,000 to more than $800,000, depending on the country, type of transplant, and post-treatment care. For many Ugandan families, these costs have been catastrophic.

An estimated 20,000 Ugandans travel to India each year seeking advanced medical care, including cancer treatment. The journey is often financially draining and emotionally exhausting, with families relying on community fundraisers, loans, or selling assets to afford treatment. In many cases, patients delay care altogether because they cannot raise the required funds in time.

“This is a turning point. It shows that Uganda now has the expertise, infrastructure, and capacity to deliver highly specialised cancer care locally,” UCI said.

The procedure was led by a team of Ugandan specialists, including Dr Clement Okello and Dr Henry Ddungu, whose work reflects years of training and preparation. Their success is being seen as a major step toward reducing medical tourism and strengthening the country’s health system.

A bone marrow transplant is a highly specialised treatment used for certain cancers and blood disorders. Bone marrow is the soft tissue inside bones that produces blood cells, red blood cells that carry oxygen, white blood cells that fight infection, and platelets that help blood clot.

In diseases like multiple myeloma, this system breaks down, making transplantation one of the few effective treatment options.

The process involves destroying diseased cells using high-dose chemotherapy, then introducing healthy stem cells to rebuild the patient’s blood and immune system. Because patients are left highly vulnerable to infection during recovery, the procedure requires strict infection control, advanced equipment, and highly trained teams.

Health experts said bringing this service to Uganda could significantly lower treatment costs while improving access. Instead of spending tens of thousands of dollars abroad, patients may soon be able to receive care locally at a fraction of the cost, though officials say investments will still be needed to scale up the service.

“This is what we call consolidated gains. Ugandans do not need to travel. It is part of the ministry’s plan to reduce medical tourism. We are proud of this success and will continue to support such institutions,” said Emmanuel Ainebyonna, senior spokesperson at the Ministry of Health.

Getrude Nakigudde, a cancer patient advocate, said this is a broader potential and the breakthrough positions Uganda as a growing centre of excellence in cancer care, with the possibility of attracting patients from across the region if investment continues.

The milestone comes at a time when Uganda is facing a growing cancer crisis. In 2025 alone, the country is expected to record between 36,000 and 37,000 new cancer cases, with more than 20,000 deaths annually, many linked to late diagnosis and limited access to treatment. Cervical, breast, and prostate cancers remain the most common, and nearly 80 percent of patients are reported to die within the first year of diagnosis.

Limited screening, high treatment costs, and shortages of specialised services have long contributed to these outcomes, and the introduction of bone marrow transplantation could begin to change that trajectory, particularly for patients with blood cancers who previously had few or no options within the country.