MY Hospital eyes high rate of success in BMT

INDORE: MY Hospital (MYH) authority has sought expertise of a non-governmental organization (NGO), Sankalp India Foundation to start bone-marrow transplantation (BMT) for thalassemia and sickle cell disease with higher success rate.

“Under our mission ‘Thalassemia Free India’, we will provide all possible help to MYH in starting BMT for thalassemia and sickle cell disease, treatment protocol, training of nurses and proper monitoring of each case through a software (BMT+ management) to ensure higher success,” NGO president Lalith Parmar told TOI.

He said that NGO has two BMT centres in Bangalore and Ahmedabad. So far, the facilities have have performed 80 transplants with the success rate of 96 per cent, which is highest in the world.

“In Bangalore, the transplantation costs around Rs 8-8.5 lakh. In Indore, it is expected to be around Rs 5-6 lakh,” Parmar said.

NGO will perform HLA typing of the donors in MYH for free of charge. Besides, a doctor from NGO’s Bangalore based facility will render its services for around one month in February while three nurses from from MYH will go on a month-long training to Bangalore, he added.

“The construction work of BMT facility in MYH is at last stage. I have suggested some minor changes to get the maximum results. The changes are unlikely to affect completion date of the construction work i.e. November 30” Parmar said.

The state government has given in-principal approval to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between MYH and NGO to lend its expertise.

“Parmar has signed the MoU. We will seek the state government’s consent in next couple of days before signing the documents,” divisional commissioner Sanjay Dubey told TOI.

He said that all the arrangements including construction of BMT facility are going on as per the schedule.

“The first BMT of multiple myeloma is expected to be performed in the first week of January while the first BMT of thalassemia is likely to be done in April” the commissioner said.

Two MYH doctors from pediatric department, who are on six-month long training in America, will return in March.

The authority has scheduled to complete the registration,selection, screening, HLA typing of donors, counseling and other procedures to start the transplantation as per the schedule. Once completed, fumigation of BMT unit will be carried out through the month of December.