BONE-MARROW TRANSPLANTATION IN MALAYSIA

The sole BMT centre in Malaysia caters only for children. Since 1987, 89 transplants have been performed using reverse barrier nursing techn iques. The overall survival rate is 73% with the majority of survivors leading normal lives. The early and late infection rates of 46% and 1 3%, respectively, are comparable to those of other centres. Although t he early septicaemia rate is 36% the immediate mortality rate is < 10% . GVHD is less frequent and severe and the interstitial pneumonitis ra te lower than that in the West. The average cost of US $8000 per trans plant is much lower than the cost of a transplant performed overseas. Thus we believe that our paediatric BMT programme is simple and cost-e ffective.