Sidra Medicine performs the first pediatric allogeneic stem cell transplantation in Qatar

Just before the New Year, Sidra Medicine turned a page in Qatar's medical history. It announced the successful completion of the nation's first pediatric allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant. That's a mouthful, but in plain language, it means a nine-year-old boy with relapsed leukemia got new blood-forming cells from his brother to fight his disease.

This milestone moves a type of life-saving therapy once only available abroad into the heart of Doha, right where families live and hope doesn't have to travel.

How did it work?

At its core, allogeneic HSCT replaces a child's damaged blood and immune system with healthy stem cells from a donor, often a sibling.

Here's the basic flow:

• Patients first receive chemotherapy to clear space in their bone marrow.
• Donor stem cells are infused.
• The new cells take over and rebuild healthy blood and immune systems.

In this case, the boy had a long journey that began with standard treatment and later relapses in 2022 and 2024. When other options ran thin, the transplant became the best shot at long-term recovery. Without this specialized therapy, kids in similar situations have "extremely limited" chances.

Why does it matter?

This isn't just a one-off procedure. It's a signal:

• It strengthens Qatar's national capability in advanced cellular therapies.
• It keeps critically ill children close to loved ones instead of sending them overseas for treatment.
• It offers highly specialized care without the emotional and financial toll of travel.

"Completing our first pediatric allogeneic stem cell transplant is a significant milestone for Sidra Medicine and for pediatric care in Qatar," said Dr. Ahmed Al Hammadi, Chair of Pediatric Medicine. "It reflects our commitment to delivering world-class specialty care."

That's not corporate fluff. It's a genuine shift in where and how children with complex diseases can be treated at home.

The context

Sidra Medicine didn't arrive here overnight. In June 2025, it opened a dedicated HSCT ward with the right infrastructure to do this work. Even earlier, it teamed up with world leaders like the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia to build a strong program and train local experts.

Today, more than 50 children in Qatar are on the transplant waiting list, and several are already being treated under the same program that performed this first transplant.

Dr. Chiara Cugno, who leads pediatric hematology and transplant work, said this growth reflects the team's deep expertise.