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Non-Surgical Osteoarthritis Treatment in Juba

Treatment of arthritic knees, hips and other joints using SVF and PRP. A doctor reviews your MRI or X-rays free to establish the stage

Knee joint: regenerative treatment without surgery
Joint treatment without surgery. Free consultation and review of your scans

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What it is

What is osteoarthritis
(arthrosis)?

Osteoarthritis (arthrosis) is a long-term condition where the cartilage covering a joint slowly thins and wears down. Because cartilage cushions the joint, its loss lets the bones grind against one another, bringing pain, stiffness and reduced movement. The disease is degenerative, not inflammatory, though swollen flare-ups can occur.

  • No surgery — an injection instead of an operation
  • Own tissue — your blood and adipose tissue
  • Ultrasound guidance for every injection
Knee joint: an injection under ultrasound guidance

Who the treatment suits

After an examination and a review of your scans, a doctor decides whether the treatment suits you

Suitable

A doctor reviews knee X-rays with a patient
  • Pain, crunching or stiffness in a joint
  • Painkillers only help for a short time
  • Recovery after injuries and surgery
  • You need a second opinion on your scans
  • You want to avoid or postpone joint replacement
  • Early or moderate arthrosis or arthritis
  • High load on the joints — sport or physical work

Not suitable

A doctor examines a patient's knee
  • Cancer
  • Pregnancy
  • Blood clotting disorders
  • Acute infections, including infection in or near the joint
  • Flare-up of a serious chronic illness
  • Temporary contraindications: fever, flu or a cold, inflamed skin over the joint that is to be treated

Not sure the treatment is right for you?

Leave your number — the coordinator will ask for your scans (X-ray, MRI or ultrasound), and the doctor will tell you whether treatment without surgery suits you.

Find out if it suits me

What we treat

Conditions we treat

How it works

How the procedure goes: step by step

Consultation and scan review1

Consultation and scan review

Your joint is examined and your X-rays, MRI or ultrasound are reviewed; then the doctor decides if the procedure suits you. You may send any scans you have before you come.

Blood sample for PRP2

Blood sample for PRP

Blood is taken from a vein in a small amount. Later, platelet-rich plasma containing growth factors is prepared from it.

Adipose tissue sample3

Adipose tissue sample

Under local anaesthetic, the doctor collects a small portion of adipose tissue (roughly 30 ml) via a puncture on the abdomen or the inner thigh. Stitches are not needed.

Processing in a centrifuge4

Processing in a centrifuge

The sample is spun in a centrifuge and separates into layers. The stromal vascular fraction is isolated and mixed with the platelet-rich plasma.

Injection into the joint5

Injection into the joint

Prepared material is delivered by injection straight into the affected joint, and ultrasound guidance helps with precise placement.

Follow-up6

Follow-up

There is no hospital stay and you will not need crutches. The doctor remains in contact after the procedure and follows the joint's response.

Book a consultation

Call or message us — our coordinator will contact you shortly and book your consultation

A doctor talks with a patient about joint treatment
Book a consultation
A doctor talks with a patient about joint treatment

Results

After the procedure

  • Doctor talking warmly with a patient after the procedure

    1 week

    The joint may ache a little more — this is an expected reaction.

  • Doctor consulting an older patient one month after treatment

    1 month

    The pain usually eases.

  • Doctor explaining progress to a patient using a knee joint model

    ~3 months

    Mobility and activity improve.

  • Doctor and patient walking together at a follow-up visit

    ~6 months

    The full effect develops.

How long it lasts differs from person to person and depends on the stage of the condition, body weight, activity and other factors — no one can promise a fixed result.

Comparison

Methods we use

No donor or synthetic material: we use only your own blood and adipose tissue

Cell therapy (SVF) from your own adipose tissue

First a small sample of adipose tissue is processed to isolate the stromal vascular fraction (SVF) — cells involved in tissue repair. This fraction, combined with your plasma, is then injected into the affected joint.

A doctor explains SVF cell therapy for the knee to a patient on a tablet

It is chosen mostly for early and moderate osteoarthritis, where it slows cartilage wear and reduces friction between joint surfaces.

Material
Your adipose tissue and plasma
How it is given
Into the joint, under ultrasound
Duration
The whole procedure is done in one day.

PRP — platelet-rich plasma from your own blood

A small amount of your blood is used to separate plasma rich in platelets and growth factors, which is then injected into the joint. It helps settle inflammation and creates better conditions for tissue repair.

A doctor explains PRP therapy for joints to a patient on a monitor

In mild osteoarthritis it is used often; to get a stronger effect it is combined with SVF.

Material
Your blood from a vein
How it is given
Into the joint, under ultrasound
Duration
The whole procedure is done in one day.

The benefits and timings shown are averaged and given for guidance: the plan and recovery depend on your joint and individual features, and the doctor confirms them at the consultation.

At the consultation the doctor will review your scans and suggest a treatment plan

Free consultation

Book a consultation

Joints

Joints we treat

We treat large and small joints; the doctor picks the joint, method and injection count once your scans are reviewed

  • KneeKneeMeniscus issues, wearing cartilage, stairs and walking bring pain
  • HipHipEarly hip osteoarthritis, groin pain, limited rotation
  • ShoulderShoulderLifting the arm hurts; the joint and surrounding tendons are worn
  • ElbowElbowOveruse or sports strain causing pain; worn joint surfaces
  • Hand and wrist jointsHand and wrist jointsSmall joints of the fingers and wrist: pain and stiffness
  • AnkleAnklePain and stiffness after sprains and old injuries

Advantages

Why patients choose City Medical Centre

Your own joint is kept, not replaced — we treat without surgery

Your own tissue

Your own tissue

No donor or synthetic material: we use only your own blood and adipose tissue

No crutches

No crutches

Local anaesthetic, punctures rather than incisions, and no long rehabilitation

Second opinion

Second opinion

A doctor will assess your X-rays, MRI or reports independently and free of charge — just send them

Support after the procedure

Support after the procedure

We keep in contact after the procedure and monitor the result, rather than stopping on the day of the injection

About the clinic

A clinic where you can feel at ease

Modern equipment, comfortable rooms and care for every patient

A doctor and a patient at the clinic

Contact us the way that suits you

We will answer your questions and find a convenient time for a consultation

Request a free call

Price

Osteoarthritis treatment prices

The cost depends on the joint, the stage of osteoarthritis and the method, so the doctor names it after the consultation

FAQ

Joint treatment: frequently asked questions

About the conditions

More about these conditions

Other services of our clinic

What Juba residents ask about osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is not the same as arthritis. Arthrosis is wear of the cartilage; arthritis is inflammation with pain at rest, swelling and warmth. The approach differs, so the diagnosis comes first for everyone in Juba.

Osteoarthritis treatment in Juba is not done with cancer, acute infections, blood clotting disorders, during pregnancy or during a flare-up of a serious chronic illness. The doctor checks this at the consultation.

Patients from Juba can start with a free review of their scans: the doctor assesses the stage of osteoarthritis and tells you whether non-surgical treatment makes sense. The price is named at the consultation.

Juba and the question of joint pain

Juba is the capital and largest city of South Sudan, built along the White Nile. It had a population of 525,953 in 2017, and the city keeps growing as people move in from the countryside for work. Many of its residents spend the day on their feet: traders in the markets, builders on the many construction sites, teachers, drivers, office staff and families who walk between neighbourhoods. When knees, hips, hands or the lower back start to hurt, the effect shows up quickly in daily life and in income.

Osteoarthritis is a chronic joint condition, and the people of Juba usually notice it in the same way: pain on climbing stairs or getting out of a low seat, stiffness after sitting, a knee that swells after a long day, or a hip that makes walking to the market harder. Many patients first put this down to age or heavy work and wait for months. Early assessment matters because the plan depends on the stage of the joint, and the earlier stages leave more options open.

City Medical Centre works with patients in Juba through a free online consultation. Coordinators are available around the clock (24/7) on WhatsApp and Telegram, so you can send your questions at a time that suits your working day. The first conversation is about your symptoms, your earlier examinations and what you want to be able to do again, whether that is walking without pain, working a full day or playing with your grandchildren.

Is it osteoarthritis or arthritis? Telling the signs apart

Patients in Juba often use the words arthritis and osteoarthritis as if they meant the same thing. They do not. Arthritis is an inflammatory disease of the joints. Typical signs are pain at rest and at night, morning stiffness lasting more than 30 minutes, swelling, redness and warmth over the joint. Causes include autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, infections, gout and psoriasis. Osteoarthritis is a wear-related, chronic condition where pain usually grows with load and eases with rest, although it can also flare.

This difference matters because the treatment is different. An inflamed, hot, red joint with night pain needs a medical examination of its cause first, and SVF therapy is not a substitute for that. If you live in Juba and have these signs, tell the coordinator in the first message. The doctor will ask for your existing results and may ask you to repeat some tests before any plan is discussed.

A practical habit helps: for two weeks, note when the joint hurts, how long the morning stiffness lasts, whether the pain wakes you at night and whether the joint is warm or swollen. Short notes like these make the remote consultation much more useful than a general statement such as «my knee hurts». The national guideline NICE NG226, on diagnosis and management of osteoarthritis in people over 16, also builds the assessment around this kind of history, and your questions to the doctor can follow the same logic.

Climate in Juba and how it affects recovery

Juba has a tropical wet and dry climate and, because it lies near the equator, it is hot all year. Little rain falls from November to March, and this is also the time with the hottest daytime temperatures, reaching 37.8 °C in February. From April to October more than 100 millimetres of rain falls per month, and the annual total is nearly 1,000 millimetres. For a patient planning treatment, this means two quite different recovery conditions.

In the dry, hot months, the main concerns are heat, dust and dehydration. Small puncture areas on the abdomen or inner thigh need to stay clean, so plan to avoid dusty outdoor work in the first days and keep the area covered as the doctor instructs. Light, loose cotton clothing is more comfortable than tight garments in heat. Drink water regularly and avoid sitting for hours in an overheated vehicle, because a joint that is already irritated tends to stiffen.

In the rainy months, the issue is the ground. Many roads in the city are unpaved, and during the long rainy season, from March until October, they become muddy and slippery. A painful knee or hip is less stable on wet ground, so choose footwear with a good grip and consider a walking stick for the first period of recovery. Humidity can also make some people feel their joints are stiffer in the morning. This is a personal experience, not a rule, but it is worth recording in your notes for the doctor.

What the procedure involves, in plain terms

The method discussed for early osteoarthritis is SVF therapy. Under local anaesthetic, a small portion of adipose tissue, about 30 ml, is taken through a puncture on the abdomen or inner thigh. No stitches are needed. This is relevant for Juba patients who worry about wound care in a hot, humid climate: a small puncture area is simpler to keep clean than a surgical incision, though you must still follow the care instructions exactly.

SVF therapy is not offered as a quick fix. Osteoarthritis is chronic, so it needs an ongoing plan rather than a single injection. That plan usually includes weight management where relevant, strengthening exercises, sensible loading of the joint, and follow-up reviews. The WHO fact sheet on obesity and overweight is a reminder that excess weight is a recognised health concern, and for knees and hips it is one of the factors you and your doctor will talk about openly.

At early stages (1–2), SVF therapy may be considered to support blood supply to the femoral head and delay the need for joint replacement. At later stages surgery is usually required. A person in Juba with a long-standing, badly worn joint should hear this honestly in the first consultation, so that expectations are realistic from the beginning.

Timing: when results appear and how long they last

Many patients notice the first changes 2–3 weeks after the procedure. A stable result forms over about six months and can last from several months to several years, depending on the individual. This long timeline should be built into your plans in Juba. If you have a family event, a work deadline or a busy trading period approaching, do not expect the full effect to arrive before it.

Because the result develops gradually, keep a simple record. Rate your pain on an ordinary day, note how far you can walk, how many stairs you manage and how you sleep. Compare these notes at the follow-up conversations with the coordinator and doctor. Many people judge progress by memory and feel disappointed, while a written record often shows slow but real change.

Be realistic about the range. The phrase «from several months to several years» means that some people need repeat assessment sooner than others. This is why the plan is ongoing: if symptoms return, you discuss the next step rather than waiting in pain. Your lifestyle in Juba, including how much you stand, carry and walk, will influence how long the benefit feels useful.

Choosing the season for treatment

There is no single correct month in Juba, but each period has its own advantages. The dry months, from November to March, mean firmer ground and fewer problems with mud, so walking exercises are easier to organise outdoors. The disadvantage is heat, with the hottest maximum temperatures in February, and dust. If you work outdoors, ask yourself whether you can really rest in those weeks.

The rainy season, from April to October, is cooler in the sense that daily heat is lower, and the air is less dusty, which some patients prefer for the healing of the puncture area. But wet and slippery surfaces raise the risk of a fall for someone with a weak joint. If you choose this period, plan your movements carefully, limit unnecessary outings in heavy rain and make sure someone can help with errands in the first days.

Whatever season you pick, discuss the date with the coordinator in advance. Include your work calendar, school fees or exam periods for children, planned celebrations and any religious or community events. A calm start is better than a procedure squeezed between obligations. A free online consultation costs you nothing to ask these questions, and the coordinators on WhatsApp and Telegram can answer at any hour, around the clock.

Work, study, sport and daily life during recovery

Juba is a working city. Following independence in 2011 it saw rapid growth, with traders, builders, bank staff and many small businesses. Many patients cannot stop completely. Light desk work, teaching in a seated position or managing a shop from a chair is usually easier to resume than manual labour, lifting loads or standing for a whole day at a market stall. Ask the doctor for a specific plan for your type of work, and do not rely on what a colleague did after a different procedure.

Students at the University of Juba and other colleges in the city face a different problem: long hours on hard benches, and walking between classes in heat or rain. A cushion, regular short breaks to stand and stretch and sensible bags that do not overload the spine can help. For students and young adults with sports injuries that led to early joint wear, ask about a gradual return to football or running rather than going back to full matches at once.

For sport and exercise in general, the guidance is to restart slowly. Walking on level ground comes first, then cycling or gentle strengthening, and impact sports last. Swimming in the river is not advised casually, since open water and healing puncture areas do not mix, and for the pool or sport you should follow the doctor's instruction on timing. Heavy lifting, for example carrying water containers or building materials, should wait until the doctor confirms the joint and the puncture area are ready.

Family life, food and habits around joint health

In Juba, family obligations are strong, and meals, weddings, funerals and church or community gatherings often involve long periods of sitting on low seats, standing to greet guests and carrying food. A patient with a painful knee should plan these events in advance: choose a higher chair, ask a relative to carry heavy dishes and avoid long kneeling or squatting positions during the first months of recovery.

Food is part of the plan, mainly through body weight. Local meals often rely on staples such as porridge, cassava, beans, fish from the Nile, vegetables and meat dishes. There is nothing wrong with traditional food, and the point is balance and portion size. Because extra weight adds load to the knees and hips, even modest, steady changes can help. Ask the doctor for realistic advice that fits your household budget and what is available in the local market, rather than a diet that is hard to follow.

Smoking, long periods without movement and untreated conditions such as gout also affect joints. If you have had swollen painful episodes at the big toe or elsewhere, mention it. Gout is one of the causes of arthritis listed above, and it needs its own treatment. Talking openly with the doctor, and involving your spouse or an older child in the plan, makes it easier to keep new habits at home.

Candidates, contraindications and how the remote consultation works

In general terms, SVF therapy is considered for people with early osteoarthritis, at stages 1–2, who want to support the joint and delay replacement. It may not suit someone with advanced joint destruction, an active infection, an untreated inflammatory disease, a bleeding disorder or a serious general illness. The final decision belongs to the doctor after reviewing your results, and some people will be advised to choose another route, including surgery.

The remote consultation from Juba is simple. You contact the coordinators on WhatsApp or Telegram, available 24/7, and send your complaints, age, weight, earlier X-rays or MRI images if you have them, current medicines and allergies. The doctor reviews this material and replies with questions, a view on the stage of the joint and a suggested plan. The consultation is free and does not commit you to anything.

Prepare your questions beforehand. Ask which stage the joint is at, what result is realistic, how the puncture area should be cared for in a hot, humid climate, when you can return to work, what warning signs need an urgent message, and what follow-up will look like. Having these written down means the conversation is focused and nothing important is forgotten.

Is osteoarthritis the same as arthritis?

No. Arthritis is an inflammatory disease of the joints, with pain at rest and at night, morning stiffness lasting more than 30 minutes, swelling, redness and warmth over the joint. Causes include rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune conditions, infections, gout and psoriasis. Osteoarthritis is a chronic wear-related condition. The doctor must separate the two before any plan is made.

Can I have a consultation from Juba without paying?

Yes. The online consultation is free. Coordinators are available around the clock (24/7) on WhatsApp and Telegram, so you can write when it suits you and send your earlier results for review.

How is tissue taken for SVF therapy?

Under local anaesthetic, a small portion of adipose tissue, about 30 ml, is taken through a puncture on the abdomen or inner thigh. No stitches are needed. The puncture area must be kept clean, which needs extra attention in Juba's heat and dust.

When will I notice a change?

Many patients notice the first changes 2–3 weeks after the procedure. A stable result forms over about six months. Keep notes on your pain, walking distance and sleep so that you can judge progress reliably.

How long does the effect last?

It can last from several months to several years, depending on the individual. Osteoarthritis is chronic, so it needs an ongoing plan rather than a single injection, and your doctor will discuss follow-up with you.

Is SVF therapy suitable at any stage of osteoarthritis?

No. At early stages (1–2), SVF therapy may be considered to support blood supply to the femoral head and delay the need for joint replacement. At later stages surgery is usually required. An honest assessment of your stage comes first.

Which season in Juba is better for treatment?

Both have advantages. From November to March it is dry, with firmer ground, but the hottest maximum temperatures arrive in February and dust is common. From April to October it rains, with more than 100 millimetres per month, and wet ground raises the risk of slipping. Choose according to your work, family events and ability to rest.

How should I protect the puncture area in hot weather?

Keep it clean and dry, wear loose cotton clothing, avoid dusty work in the first days and follow the doctor's care instructions. Do not enter the river or other open water until the doctor allows it.

What can I do to support my joints at home in Juba?

Walk on level ground, avoid long kneeling and squatting, use a higher chair, keep a sensible body weight, strengthen the muscles around the joint with the doctor's guidance and treat other conditions such as gout. Excess weight is a recognised health concern, as the WHO notes, and it adds load to knees and hips.

What should I ask the doctor?

Ask about the stage of your joint, whether SVF therapy suits you, what result is realistic, when you can return to work and sport, which warning signs matter, what follow-up is planned and what the alternatives are, including surgery if the joint is badly worn.