SKIMS performs J&K’s first unrelated stem cell transplant

Srinagar, Jun 23: In a major breakthrough for advanced healthcare in Jammu and Kashmir, Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) has successfully carried out its first-ever Matched Unrelated Donor (MUD) Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation on a three-year-old child suffering from Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), a rare and potentially fatal disorder caused by severe immune system dysfunction.
The landmark transplant was made possible through stem cells donated by a fully matched volunteer donor from Poland, identified through DKMS, one of the world’s largest stem cell donor registries. In a significant humanitarian gesture, DKMS waived the donor procurement charges, easing the financial burden on the patient’s family and facilitating access to the life-saving treatment.
Addressing a press conference, SKIMS Director and EOSG Prof M. Ashraf Ganie described the achievement as a milestone in transplant medicine and a significant advancement in specialised healthcare services within Jammu and Kashmir. He congratulated the transplant team on the successful outcome and appealed to the public to actively participate in stem cell donor registration programmes.
“Many patients suffering from serious blood and immune disorders can only be cured through stem cell transplantation,” Prof Ganie said, adding that expanding donor registries can greatly improve the chances of finding compatible donors for those in need.
He announced that SKIMS would actively promote donor registration and make information related to donor registries available through its official platforms to encourage wider community participation.
The highly specialised procedure was performed by the Department of Clinical Haematology. Experts from the department, including Head of Department Prof Sajad Geelani, Associate Professors Dr Reshma Roshan and Dr Afaq Ahmad Khan, said the transplant programme at SKIMS is being conducted according to national and international standards and has achieved outcomes comparable to leading transplant centres.
They explained that Matched Unrelated Donor transplantation is among the most complex procedures in modern medicine, involving extensive donor-recipient matching, international coordination, advanced laboratory support and intensive clinical monitoring. The successful completion of the procedure required seamless coordination from donor identification to stem cell collection and transportation across international borders.
The specialists noted that for many patients suffering from severe haematological and immunological disorders, a suitable family donor is often unavailable. In such cases, a matched unrelated donor transplant may be the only curative treatment option. They stressed that the success of this case highlights the need to strengthen transplant programmes, expand awareness about stem cell donation and enhance collaboration with national and international donor registries.
The Department of Clinical Haematology expressed gratitude to the SKIMS administration and DKMS for their support in making the treatment possible. Special appreciation was also extended to faculty members, resident doctors, transplant coordinators, nursing staff, blood bank teams, laboratory scientists, technicians, pharmacists, infection control personnel, intensive care staff and other supporting departments whose collective efforts contributed to the success of the complex procedure.
The child’s father, Mohammad Ashraf Shaikh, shared an emotional account of the family’s journey. Having lost his first daughter to HLH two years ago, he said the family had consulted several medical centres outside the region before finding hope at SKIMS. He thanked the doctors and hospital administration for assuring him that the disease was treatable and for successfully carrying out the transplant that has given his second child a new chance at life. (KNO)