Sidra Medicine extends Qatar’s only cord blood bank to families at The Pearl International Hospital

Cord blood can only be collected once, at the moment of birth. Miss it, and the opportunity is gone. That biological reality is what makes access to cord blood banking so time-sensitive, and why a new agreement signed between Sidra Medicine and The Pearl International Hospital carries real weight for families in Qatar.

Under the agreement, expectant parents receiving maternity care at The Pearl International Hospital will now be able to store their newborn's umbilical cord blood with Sidra Medicine. The hospital was already delivering births. It can now offer families a direct route to cord blood banking as part of that same care journey. Sidra Medicine collects, processes, and stores the samples at its specialist Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) facility, which houses Qatar's only Cord Blood Bank.

Prof. Khalid Fakhro, Chief Research Officer at Sidra Medicine, said the agreement extends access to a service that matters. "By making clinical-grade cord blood and tissue banking services available to families receiving maternity care at The Pearl International Hospital, we are providing them with the information and support they need to make informed decisions about preserving these valuable biological resources," he said.

Dr. Cem Emir Guldogan, Chief Medical Officer at The Pearl International Hospital, described the partnership as an important step in the hospital's broader commitment to raising healthcare standards in Qatar, aligning with international best practices while reflecting the values of the local community.

How does it work?

The collection process is painless and carries no risk to mother or child. After the umbilical cord is clamped and cut, cord blood is drawn from the cord, a procedure that takes only a few minutes. Sidra Medicine's team then processes and stores the sample at the GMP facility in Doha.

Cord blood is rich in stem cells, which are used today to treat a range of blood, immune, and genetic disorders. Research is also exploring their potential in regenerative medicine, including conditions such as cerebral palsy, autism, and type 1 diabetes. Registered families can access the stored stem cells for future treatment of their child and, in some cases, extended family members. Sidra Medicine can also arrange transfer of stem cells to authorised centres in other countries if required.

Beyond cord blood, the same GMP facility prepares bone marrow stem cells for transplantation and produces advanced cell and gene therapy products for paediatric patients treated at Sidra Medicine.

Why does it matter?

Qatar currently has just one cord blood bank, and it sits inside Sidra Medicine. For families who want to store cord blood locally, there is no alternative. That means every new clinical partnership Sidra Medicine signs directly expands the population that can access the service.

Keeping samples in-country also has practical advantages:

• Samples remain under local regulatory oversight, which supports quality control
• Access in a medical emergency does not depend on international logistics or transit delays
• Families deal with a single, locally accountable institution rather than an overseas commercial provider

For The Pearl International Hospital, the agreement adds a clinically meaningful service to its maternity offering. And for expectant parents in Qatar, it widens the choice that was previously only available through hospitals already partnered with Sidra Medicine.

The context

This is the second such agreement Sidra Medicine has announced in quick succession. In August 2026, a similar deal was signed with The View Hospital. The pattern suggests a deliberate strategy to build a network of partner hospitals around the cord blood bank, rather than limiting access to Sidra Medicine's own maternity unit.

That approach fits the wider direction of healthcare development across the Gulf. Qatar's National Health Strategy, like Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 health pillar and the UAE's push to become a regional medical hub, places a premium on building specialised services domestically and reducing dependence on overseas care. A nationally managed cord blood bank, steadily expanding its reach through hospital partnerships, is a concrete example of that logic in practice.

For more information on Sidra Medicine's cord blood banking services, visit www.sidra.org.