Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on hematopoietic stem cell transplant programmes in Singapore

Background: Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) has been performed in Singapore since 1985. Currently, more than 100 transplants are performed annually across the public and private sectors. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in unprecedented disruptions to global healthcare systems, and Singapore was no exception. In particular, the field of HSCT faced additional, unique challenges aside from those borne by the healthcare system at large, and appropriate measures were necessary to ensure that HSCT remained available to patients who needed it.

Methods: The expert opinions of six hematologists from various institutions across Singapore were gathered through individual interviews and summarized. This was supplemented by a literature review on bone marrow donation and HSCT in Singapore.

Main findings and conclusion: In Singapore, the COVID-19 pandemic has had significant implications for HSCT, ranging from the implementation of additional infection control measures in hospitals to an accelerated rise in haploidentical transplants. Further research is required to better understand and quantify these impacts, improve existing processes, and investigate the effects of COVID-19 and its treatment modalities on patients with HSCT.