For some people, yes. A bone marrow transplant (also called a stem cell transplant) can cure sickle cell disease. It replaces the faulty blood-making cells with healthy cells from a donor, most often a brother or sister whose tissue type matches. It is a serious treatment, so a specialist transplant team decides who is suitable after a full assessment.
Key points
- A bone marrow transplant is currently the main treatment that can cure sickle cell disease.
- The best donor is usually a fully matched brother or sister.
- In India, the hospital treatment costs from about US$23,300, far less than the cost reported in Nigeria.
- MedPanda plans the whole trip for the patient, donor and carer, starting with a free consultation.
What a sickle cell transplant costs
About 61% to 73% less in India
| Compared with | Price there | India, with MedPanda | You save |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nigeria | Over US$60,000 | US$23,300 | Over US$36,700 (61%) |
| UK private hospital | US$87,800 | US$23,300 | US$64,500 (73%) |
India: indicative starting price, October 2026. Nigeria: cost reported in June 2026 (over ₦80 million). UK: estimate, as UK private hospitals don’t publish a fixed price. Savings compare hospital costs only. The India figure is for the hospital treatment; flights, visas and several months’ stay for the patient, donor and carer are extra, and we help you plan them. The hospital confirms the final price after reviewing your medical records. US dollar figures use early October 2026 exchange rates. UK residents who meet the NHS criteria can have a transplant on the NHS.
Who can have a transplant?
The transplant team looks at three things:
- How severe the sickle cell disease is, for example strokes, repeated chest crises or frequent severe pain.
- Age and general health, including heart, lung and kidney function. Results tend to be better in children and younger adults.
- Whether a suitable donor is available.
Finding a donor
The donor’s tissue type (called HLA) needs to match the patient’s as closely as possible.
- Brothers and sisters: each full sibling has a 1 in 4 chance of being a full match. This is the most common donor.
- Half-matched family members: parents, children and some siblings can be a half match. Some hospitals offer this when there is no full match, though it may carry more risk.
The first step is usually an HLA blood test for the patient and their brothers and sisters. We can tell you how to arrange it and share the results with partner hospitals.
What about the “new cure” for sickle cell?
You may have read about gene therapy. In 2025 the NHS in England approved a gene therapy called exa-cel (Casgevy) for some people aged 12 and over with severe sickle cell disease who have no matched donor. It is offered only in specialist NHS centres. MedPanda does not arrange gene therapy.
How it works with MedPanda
- Free consultation. Tell us about the patient. We explain the options and what to prepare.
- Records and HLA results reviewed by transplant teams at partner hospitals, before anyone travels.
- Written quote and plan, so you know the cost and how long to stay.
- Visas, travel and a place to stay arranged for the patient, donor and carer, including airport pick-up.
- Treatment in India. Tests, a few days of chemotherapy, the transplant through a drip, then several weeks in hospital and frequent check-ups nearby.
- Lifetime Health Passport. All your scans, reports and discharge papers are kept together in one place, ready for your doctor at home.
- Home with a plan. Your records go to your doctor at home, and we stay in touch while you recover.
Plan for one long stay of several months, with a carer. The hospital explains every risk before you agree to anything, including infection, graft-versus-host disease (when the donor’s cells attack the body) and the chance that the new cells don’t take.
Travelling from Nigeria or Ghana? Everyone in the family needs an original yellow fever certificate for India. Nigerian passport holders apply for an Indian medical visa in Abuja or Lagos; Ghanaians can apply online.
Partner hospitals with transplant services
These partner hospitals list bone marrow or stem cell transplant on their own websites:
- Aster Medcity, Kochi
- Aster MIMS, Kozhikode
- Artemis Hospitals, Gurugram
- Gleneagles Hospitals, Mumbai (children)
- STAR Hospitals, Hyderabad
Frequently asked questions
Can sickle cell be cured completely?
For some people, a bone marrow transplant can cure sickle cell disease. It is not suitable for everyone and carries serious risks, so a transplant team decides after a full assessment.
Is there a new cure for sickle cell disease?
Gene therapy (exa-cel) was approved for some patients on the NHS in England in 2025. It is for people aged 12 and over with severe disease and no matched donor, and is only offered in specialist centres.
Can adults have a transplant for sickle cell?
Yes, some adults can, especially with a fully matched brother or sister as donor. Results tend to be better in younger people, so the team weighs age and health carefully.
How long do we need to stay in India?
Usually several months: a few weeks in hospital, then regular check-ups near the hospital. The transplant team gives you a plan before you travel.
Talk to us about sickle cell treatment
If you or your child lives with sickle cell disease, we’ll explain the options and what a transplant would involve. Free, with no pressure.
Checked by Dr Sreeraj K.V (MBBS, DNB), Reg. No. 93547, on 10 October 2026.
MedPanda is a care-coordination service. We don’t diagnose or give medical advice. Your treating doctor decides what treatment, if any, is right for you.
Sources
- NHS: Sickle cell disease
- NHS: Stem cell or bone marrow transplants (what it is, how it’s done, recovery, complications)
- NHS England: Clinical commissioning policy, stem cell transplantation for adults with sickle cell disease (2020)
- NHS England: Gene-editing therapy for sickle cell (31 January 2025)
- NMDP: HLA typing and matching; Anthony Nolan: Haploidentical transplants
- Leonard and Tisdale, Expert Review of Hematology (2018): stem cell transplantation in sickle cell disease
- News Agency of Nigeria: Sickle Cell Club urges FG to subsidise transplant programme (20 June 2026)
- Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, India: yellow fever advisory; High Commission of India, Abuja; Government of India e-Visa
