Doha: Sidra Medicine, a member of Qatar Foundation, has launched a state-of-the-art cord blood banking service. This is the country's first local cord blood storage facility and will offer families a unique opportunity to preserve their newborns' stem cells in Qatar, for potential future medical needs. According to Qatar News Agency, cord blood banking is the process of collecting and storing the blood from a newborn's umbilical cord and placenta after birth. The collection is painless, non-invasive, and risk-free for the mother and baby. Cord blood is rich in hematopoietic stem cells, which have the potential to treat various medical conditions, including certain cancers, blood disorders, and immune system diseases. Prof. Johnny Awwad, Chair of Women's Services at Sidra Medicine, stated that as the only facility in Qatar providing local cord blood storage, Sidra Medicine offers an advantage by keeping the samples in the country. This ensures their optimal quality and immediate access when needed, compared to having them shipped from abroad. Parents are increasingly storing cord blood to preserve their child's stem cells, crucial for their child or siblings in the future. The facility's commitment to the latest technology and international standards guarantees reliability and peace of mind for families in Qatar. All cord blood samples will be sent to Sidra Medicine's Cord Blood Bank in its Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) facility, where cryogenic freezing will allow them to be stored securely for over 30 years. Prof. Khalid Fakhro, Chief Research Officer at Sidra Medicine, noted that their cord blood banking service is a successful milestone for their precision medicine strategy. Over 80 diseases can be treated using the banked samples, including some types of cancers. With this private service now available for maternity patients at Sidra Medicine, parents have the opportunity to safeguard their child's future health by cryopreserving their stem cells. This is particularly relevant for families with a histo ry of congenital medical issues, as the stored stem cells could provide a source for regenerative therapies if their child or other family members experience blood or immune system disorders. To expand its reach to other families in Qatar, Sidra Medicine signed a Memorandum of Understanding with CellSave Arabia, a leader in stem cell banking services. It is available to any family in the country choosing the joint Sidra Medicine and CellSave Arabia service as their stem cell storage provider regardless of whichever hospital their baby is born in. Dr. Iyabo Tinubu-Karch, Chief Executive Officer of Sidra Medicine, emphasized that the partnership with CellSave Arabia aligns perfectly with Sidra Medicine's mission to advance healthcare and foster healthier families across Qatar. This collaboration allows families across the country to have their children's stem cells stored locally for the first time. Together, they aim to make advanced stem cell processing and storage more accessible, contributing to a more rob ust healthcare infrastructure in the region. Cord blood banking is already available at Sidra Medicine, with plans underway to extend the joint Sidra Medicine and CellSave Arabia service to those who deliver their babies in other hospitals, in addition to launching other services including umbilical cord banking, placental tissue banking, amniotic tissue banking, and Mesenchymal Stem Cell (MSC) banking.