Hong Kong’s Health Bureau has thanked the mainland authorities and units for facilitating the smooth delivery of a cord blood hematopoietic stem cell unit from Guangdong to Hong Kong for the treatment of a five-year-old girl suffering from thalassemia.
The cord blood unit arrived on Thursday, as planned, at Hong Kong Children's Hospital’s stem cell transplant laboratory, where it is now being stored according to established procedures.
“The clinical team will perform the transplant for the patient at an appropriate time according to the treatment plan and her clinical condition,” the Hospital Authority said in a statement on Thursday night.
This is the second cross-border transfer of its kind since 2018. The first such transfer was in 2018 when a girl’s cord blood arrived in Hong Kong to treat her seven-year-old elder sister who had thalassemia.
“This exercise exemplifies the close relationship between Guangdong and Hong Kong,” Secretary for Health Prof Lo Chung-mau said, adding that it brings hope for the pediatric patient’s treatment.
ALSO READ: Exchanging the hope of life
He thanked the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China and the Red Cross Society of China for their substantial support, which enabled the Guangdong Cord Blood Bank's smooth delivery of the stem cell unit to the HKCH.
The HKCH has been providing treatment for the pediatric patient concerned and is planning to perform a hematopoietic stem cell transplant on her.
After being made aware of a cord blood hematopoietic stem cell unit of the patient’s relative being stored at a cord blood bank in Guangzhou, the medical team communicated and collaborated with the cord blood bank to actualize its successful cross-boundary delivery.
HKCH, which is the only center in Hong Kong to perform hematopoietic stem cell transplants for children, has also expressed gratitude to all Hong Kong and mainland units involved in the process for their support and facilitation in bringing hope for the patient's treatment.
READ MORE: Beating the odds
About 40 to 50 transplants, including several thalassemia cases, are performed at HKCH each year, according to the Hospital Authority.
Sources of hematopoietic stem cells include bone marrow, peripheral blood stem cells and cord blood. Based on their individual situations, patients can receive an autologous or allogeneic transplant, using hematopoietic stem cells from their siblings, parents or unrelated donors.
