Uganda gets stem cell therapy centre, treats first patient

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Ugandans with chronic diseases who had taken long without being treated or had lost hope of getting the next lease of life can afford a smile following the launch of stem cell therapy.

The Joint Clinical Research Centre (JCRC) teamed up with experts from Sweden to launch stem cell therapy on February 12, 2025, at the Stem Cell & Gene Therapy Centre (JCRC-ABT Clinic) within JCRC head offices in Lubowa, Kampala.  

Stem cell therapy also known as regenerative medicine is a treatment that uses stem cells to repair or prevent disease. It promotes the repair response of diseased, dysfunctional or injured tissue using stem cells or their derivatives. 

According to the experts at JCRC, stem cells are grown in a laboratory and manipulated to become specific cell types, such as heart muscle cells, blood cells, or nerve cells. The specialised cells are then implanted into a person with a specified disease.

Stem cells can be guided into becoming specific cells that can be used in people to regenerate and repair tissues that have been damaged or affected by disease. People who might benefit from stem cell therapies include those with leukaemia, Hodgkin disease, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and some solid tumour cancers.

(Photo by Benjalina Namazzi)

Pioneer

At about 10:35 am, former Nyabushozi County Member of Parliament, Elly Karuhanga, walked into the JCRC boardroom with the help of two family members. One year ago, his spinal cord developed issues and could not support him to walk anymore. This called for other people to help in case he needed to move or use a wheelchair.

Karuhanga thought he would remain in that state for good; however, with the launch of the first-ever stem cell therapy, there is hope that his fortunes will change.

Karuhanga is the pioneer beneficiary of the procedure at the Lubowa facility. By about 12:45pm Karuhanga entered the theatre full of surgeons ready to work on him to see he regains his strength of walking by himself again.

“Like a year ago he developed complications in walking; he is not paralysed or having any other challenge, but walking is the problem. The backbone cannot support him fully,” she said.

Karuhanga highlighted the transformative power of advanced cellular therapies in improving health. He thanked President Yoweri Museveni for establishing JCRC which has pioneered groundbreaking research impacting countless lives. He added that bringing such innovative treatments closer to home is remarkable and eliminates the need for patients to seek care abroad.

Health ministry director general Dr Charles Olaro commended the JCRC-ABT Clinic’s launch, emphasizing the Ministry’s commitment to supporting such life-saving innovations that advance healthcare, enhance treatment options, and improve patient outcomes across Uganda.

JCRC executive director Dr Cissy Kityo Mutuluza reaffirmed the centre’s commitment to innovation, saying: “At JCRC-ABT, we are dedicated to advancing healthcare solutions that improve lives. Our regenerative medicine program is built on decades of research, ensuring safe and effective therapies for our patients. This milestone is just the beginning of a new era in personalised medicine”.

Kityo said they hope to treat various diseases through stem therapy, including autism, autoimmune disease, chronic conditions and neurological disorders. Other diseases to be treated are degenerative conditions, blood disorders, the frailty of ageing and wellness cancer recovery support.

With all this, Kityo said several hard illnesses will be treated without one needing to go abroad. For a long time, most of the patients with such diseases have been flying out of the country in search of better health care. This time, she said patients will be treated from here, given the support of professionals from Sweden, the manufacture of stems is made.

(Photo by Benjalina Namazzi)

Asea BioTherapeutics chief executive officer, Dr Alexander Asea, said: “Partnering with JCRC to introduce world-class stem cell therapy in Uganda fulfils our vision of regenerative medicine, offering patients not just treatment, but true healing and restoration.”

The cost

Monika Shasma, the head of clinical and scientific affairs at Cellcolabs from the United Arab Emirates, said the first treatment of a patient can range from $10,000 (over about sh36.7m), and if sicknesses persist, the cost rises.

Healing

Experts said that each patient is unique, and there is no guarantee that positive results will be seen or how quickly they may be observed. Some patients have reported improvements during their treatment, while others have experienced improvements as long as 6 months after returning home.