Guayaquil, February 28, 2023
“My son needed two transplants and, thanks to the hospital, both were able to be done. Everything went well and he returned home healthy,” said Candy B, mother of Martin H., a four-year-old patient.
The Dr. Francisco de Icaza Bustamante Children’s Hospital (HFIB) of the Ministry of Public Health (MSP), on February 23, 2023, welcomed Martín who returned to Ecuador after having been a beneficiary of a bone marrow transplant at the Clinic University of Navarra, in Pamplona (Spain) through the management of this State portfolio.
The little boy traveled a year and a half ago after being diagnosed with a chronic granulomatous disease linked to the X chromosome, also known as primary immunodeficiency. A disease that weakens the immune system and allows infections and other health problems to develop more easily.
The timely management of the HFIB allowed the boy to receive his first bone marrow transplant in October 2021, however, his body rejected the tissue and he had to undergo a second transplant in March 2022, with the expected success.
After a year and a half of staying in Europe for comprehensive post-transplant follow-up and to confirm that the tissue is accepted, Martin returned healthy to his country of origin, Ecuador.
At the time, the little boy had to be referred abroad because he did not have a 100% compatible donor at the national level. For this reason, the HFIB took charge of the necessary steps to achieve an international transplant.
The HFIB captures patients with different diseases that require transplantation. But in the case of patients with oncological and hematological pathologies and primary immunodeficiencies who need a bone marrow transplant, the service is purchased from the Society to Fight Cancer (SOLCA). This entity has the accreditation of pre-transplant, transplant and post-transplant evaluations, granted by the National Institute of Donation and Transplant (INDOT).
At the moment, the necessary procedures are being carried out so that Martín receives post-transplant care at the SOLCA Transplant Unit (UTMO) through the MSP.
#JuntosPorLaSalud
