Sidra Medicine, part of Qatar Foundation, has established the country’s first local cord blood bank, providing families with an option to store their newborns’ stem cells for potential medical use in the future, as reported by The Peninsula. This state-of-the-art facility collects and preserves blood from the umbilical cord and placenta after birth, a painless, non-invasive procedure that poses no risk to mother or baby. Cord blood is a valuable source of hematopoietic stem cells, which can treat various medical conditions, including cancers, blood disorders, and immune system diseases.
Prof. Johnny Awwad, Chair of Women’s Services at Sidra Medicine, emphasized the advantage of local storage: “As the only facility in Qatar offering this service, Sidra Medicine ensures optimal quality and immediate access to samples, unlike those stored abroad. Increasingly, parents are preserving stem cells for future medical needs of their child or siblings. Our commitment to advanced technology and international standards provides reliability and peace of mind for families in Qatar.”
Stored samples will be cryogenically frozen at Sidra Medicine’s Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) facility, where they can be preserved securely for over 30 years. Prof. Khalid Fakhro, Chief Research Officer at Sidra Medicine, noted, “This service is a significant milestone in our precision medicine strategy, with stored samples having the potential to treat more than 80 diseases, including some cancers. This option is particularly valuable for families with a history of congenital medical issues, as the stem cells may serve as a resource for regenerative therapies.”
To further extend its reach, Sidra Medicine signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with CellSave Arabia, a leader in stem cell banking, enabling families across Qatar to use the Sidra-CellSave service regardless of their baby’s birthplace. Dr. Iyabo Tinubu-Karch, CEO of Sidra Medicine, explained, “This partnership aligns with our mission to advance healthcare and support families across Qatar. By combining Sidra’s advanced facilities with CellSave Arabia’s outreach, we can now offer families the option to store stem cells within the country, strengthening healthcare accessibility.”
Alia Abdel-Razeq, COO of CellSave Arabia, celebrated the collaboration, saying, “Partnering with Sidra Medicine allows us to elevate our services and ensure families in Qatar have access to essential stem cell banking for future health needs.”
Currently, Sidra Medicine offers cord blood banking services, with plans to expand to include umbilical cord, placental tissue, amniotic tissue, and Mesenchymal Stem Cell (MSC) banking in the near future.
