Men Underrepresented on South African Stem Cell Registry
Men make up just 28% of potential blood stem cell donors on the DKMS Africa registry, despite yielding larger numbers of stem cells.
Updated on Nov. 12, 2026 in Men’s Health
Live Poll
Would you consider registering as a stem cell donor?
Men make up 28% of the more than 210,000 potential blood stem cell donors on the DKMS Africa registry in South Africa, which is outnumbered by women more than two to one. Men nonetheless accounted for 40% of the 42 stem cell donations collected from the registry in 2025.
Why it matters
Stem cell transplants depend on a large, diverse donor pool, so a shortage of men limits the matches available to patients. Men's share of new registrations rose from 19% in 2021 to 31% in 2025, suggesting growing participation.
Men aged 17 to 25 account for 11% of registered donors, and studies of more than 10,000 unrelated donor transplants and 452 transplant patients linked male and younger donors to better survival outcomes. The extraction does not confirm how these studies apply to the current South African registry.
The players
DKMS Africa
DKMS Africa is the South African arm of the international DKMS non-profit that runs blood stem cell donor registries and covers donation costs.
The details
In most cases, stem cells are collected from the bloodstream through a procedure similar to blood donation. DKMS Africa covers the costs associated with donation, while misconceptions and concerns about time off work discourage potential donors.
Timeline
2018: Pretorius registered as a donor on the DKMS Africa registry.
2021: Men's share of new registrations stood at 19%.
2022: Pretorius was identified as a match for a patient.
2025: Men's share of new registrations reached 31%, and men accounted for 40% of 42 donations.
Health Landscape
The DKMS Africa registry, which holds more than 210,000 potential donors, is the main pool from which South African stem cell transplant matches are drawn. Its shift toward more male registrants in 2025 marks a change from the female-dominated donor base it previously held.
Anyone aged 17 to 45 who is willing to donate can register on the DKMS Africa registry to be considered as a potential blood stem cell match. Registration can help a patient in need, and the procedure for most donors resembles blood donation.
The takeaway
Men who are willing to donate can significantly widen the pool of matches available to patients who need a transplant. Registering is a simple first step, and DKMS Africa covers the costs of donation.
Further reading
Explore more on Men's Health to see how men's health issues are covered across South Africa.
More information
Register as a potential donor through the DKMS Africa stem cell donor registration page.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Quicknews.
Live Poll
Would you consider registering as a stem cell donor?
