The First International Thalassemia Conference in Hue

Delegates giving gifts to patients with Thalassemia

Attending the conference were Prof. Dr. Pham Nhu Hiep, Director of Hue Central Hospital; experts from DKMS (Deutsche Knochenmarkspenderdatei - Germany), St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (USA), Philippines, Chile, Singapore, as well as representatives from many major hospitals across Vietnam. The event was regarded as a prestigious scientific forum for sharing experiences, transferring technology, and promoting collaboration in the fields of hematology and bone marrow transplantation.

Thalassemia (congenital hemolytic anemia) is a common hereditary hematologic disorder. Every year, Vietnam records about 2,000–2,500 cases of severe forms. Patients must undergo lifelong blood transfusions and iron chelation therapy, which cause numerous complications affecting the heart, liver, and kidneys, as well as seriously impacting both physical and mental health. The disease also poses a heavy burden on families and society.

Collecting HLA samples from patients and relatives to create a donor database at Hue Central Hospital

At the conference, experts from Vietnam and abroad discussed a wide range of topics: an overview of Thalassemia in Vietnam and the region, advances in stem cell transplantation, management of post-transplant complications, treatment costs in middle-income countries, as well as the prospects of gene therapy and the application of technology in patient management. In collaboration with DKMS, the hospital also organized HLA typing for 220 patients and their relatives to build a bone marrow donor database, expanding transplant opportunities for many patients.

The conference carried not only scientific significance but also profound humanitarian meaning, contributing to raising community awareness about Thalassemia - a disease that can be effectively treated if timely bone marrow transplantation is performed. This success affirms the professional capacity of Hue Central Hospital and brings Vietnamese medicine closer to regional and international standards.