Mumbai's first bone marrow transplant (BMT) unit in a public hospital will start functioning on Friday at Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's Sion Hospital. The paediatric haemo-oncology unit in the hospital to which the BMT unit is attached, is 20-bedded and will cater to children affected by blood disorders, including cancer, thallasemia and anaemia.
Bone marrow transplant could give children suffering from blood cancer or thallasemia a new lease of life.
Close to 25,000 children are affected by acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the most common blood cancer (in children). Sion Hospital treats eighty to hundred new cases of blood cancer every year. In Maharashtra, there are at least 4,500 thallasemia patients who require bone marrow transplant.
Thalassaemia is a genetic disorder which leads to suppression of bone marrow—patient's body stops producing RBCs which carry oxygen throughout the body.
The unit in Sion Hospital, which has been constructed spending close to Rs3 crore, has the infrastructure to maintain an infection-free environment.
"The unit has hepa filters that maintain positive pressure in the room. They curb any foreign particle from entering the room. The destroyed bone marrow in a child has to be replaced with matching (donor's) marrow. A child whose bone marrow has been destroyed is highly susceptible to infection and has to be kept in a protected environment free of contamination," said Dr Mamta Mangalani, head, paediatric medicine at Sion Hospital.
The chance of a patient's bone marrow matching his/her sibling is 25%. Bone marrow transplant can cost anything between Rs20 lakh and Rs30 lakh. In a government-run set up, the cost may come down by up to 40%.
"In Rajasthan and Haryana bone marrow transplant now costs only up to Rs 6-7 lakh. If the unit at Sion Hospital can transplant the bone marrow of a patient at an affordable cost, it's welcome," said Vinay Shetty, founder, non-profit Think Foundation.
In the past, children requiring bone marrow transplant had to travel to Vellore, Chennai, Pune or Gujarat, as the facilities available in Mumbai are few and far between.
Doctors in Sion Hospital said the unit would be able to conduct bone marrow transplant in two to three months.
Private players
Currently, Tata Memorial Hospital in Parel, Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Andheri and Jaslok Hospital in South Mumbai have the facility to conduct bone marrow transplant. BMC-run Sion Hospital will be the first public hospital to enter the fray.
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