To assess supportive care as well as definitive cure approaches in Vietnam, Hue Central Hospital – one of the three largest general hospitals in the country – has organized the first international Thalassemia conference on 20 August 2025. The conference was the first of its kind in Vietnam, fully funded by DKMS and dedicated to physicians from general hospitals, pediatric as well as blood and transfusion hospitals.

“Our idea was to bring together the most important players in the field of thalassemia in Vietnam to discuss and exchange on latest treatment options. Learning from each other and from international experts will allow us to improve and optimize treatment for children suffering from this disorder,” states Prof. Pham Nhu Hiep, Director of Hue Central Hospital.

Topics on the agenda included prevention, supportive care, and cure approaches. While Prof. Maria Domenica Cappellini talked about Thalassemia supportive care and gene therapy approaches, Dr. Lawrence Faulkner enlightened the audience about hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) for thalassemia as well as about HCT cost, accessibility and outcomes in middle-income regions. Dr. Ali Suliman addressed common HCT complications and their management. Another international speaker was Rajat Agarwal, co-Founder of the non-profit organization Sankalp India Foundation, who shared their network experience as well as insights on information technology in thalassemia care.

Next to international speakers, local specialists from across the country provided insights from their respective practices. With representatives of major hospitals across Vietnam and around 20 doctors from abroad attending, the meeting was a full success.

By supporting knowledge exchange and expertise-building among specialists in Vietnam who care for thalassemia patients, Hue Central Hospital and DKMS are continuing their commitment to empowering lasting change. Only recently, the hospital had started offering allogeneic bone marrow transplantation as new treatment method thanks to the support of the Start-up Program for Pediatric BMT Centers in LMICs. In addition to free HLA-typing by DKMS for thalassemia patients, the hospital receives medical advice and guidance from experienced transplant specialists. They share their knowledge with the institution’s medical teams and assisted in the start-up of the first allogeneic bone marrow transplantations.

“As an international nonprofit organization, DKMS is dedicated to strengthening healthcare systems by advancing knowledge, fostering collaboration, and ultimately enabling access to transplantation. Supporting the first Thalassemia Meeting in Vietnam is a strategic step in empowering local medical expertise and expanding treatment capacities. Together with our partners, we are creating sustainable structures that will improve care for patients with thalassemia in Vietnam and beyond,” said Dr. Elke Neujahr, Global CEO of DKMS.

Funding Capacity Expansion

Since setting up the new BMT-unit for pediatric thalassemia patients at Hue Hospital, the need for additional treatment capacity has increased substantially. That is why – thanks to DKMS funding – the hospital has expanded its BMT-unit from two to four BMT rooms. For that purpose and with the necessary equipment, two existing hospital rooms were converted into BMT rooms that now additionally enable complex transplant care for children.

Prof. Pham Nhu Hiep concludes: “We are very grateful for this generous funding by DKMS. We already have more thalassemia patients waiting for treatment. With these two new rooms, we are doubling our capacity for bone marrow transplantations and with it the ability to give new hope to patients.”

About Hue Central Hospital

Hue Central Hospital was established in 1894. With over 3900 beds, it is one of the three largest central general hospitals in Vietnam. Among other disease patterns, it treats pediatric patients with diseases of the hematopoietic system. In 2024, Hue Central Hospital expanded its existing BMT treatment of autologous stem cell transplantation by facilitating allogenic stem cell transplantation for pediatric thalassemia patients.