AIIMS Mangalagiri to launch Bone Marrow Transplants

Vijayawada: In a move towards improving treatment access for children with Thalassemia, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Mangalagiri is set to begin offering bone marrow transplant (BMT) surgeries — a potentially curative procedure for the genetic blood disorder.

This initiative will make AIIMS-Mangalagiri one of the few hospitals in India to provide this advanced treatment, which is currently available in only 11 top-tier institutions across the country.

Thalassemia is a genetic blood disorder that affects haemoglobin production, often leading to severe anaemia in children. According to state health records, 2,129 children across Andhra Pradesh are currently diagnosed with the condition.

In India, treatment for the condition typically involves a combination of therapies based on its severity. For moderate to severe cases, regular blood transfusions and iron chelation therapy are the most common approaches to manage the disease.

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As per the recent media reports by TOI, "Bone marrow transplants are a curative option, especially for severe cases with a matched donor. However, this facility is not widely available due to its high costs. Families mostly depend on regular blood transfusions to provide healthy red blood cells and haemoglobin, alleviating the symptoms of anemia," said a senior AIIMS doctor. As BMT requires specialized facilities and expertise, the Centre has identified AIIMS-Mangalagiri to start the services.

He explained that a stem cell or bone marrow transplant involves replacing the patient’s diseased bone marrow with healthy stem cells from a compatible donor, offering a potential cure for the disease.

According to TOI, a matched donor is important for effective bone marrow transplants. BMT surgeries can cost anywhere between Rs 8 lakh to Rs 40 lakh, which is unaffordable for many families. A fully matched sibling or parent donor is ideal, but finding a match is also challenging. "Haplo-identical transplants, where the donor is not a fully matched sibling or parent, are also increasingly used," said a senior official of the National Health Mission.

In addition to this initiative, the Karnataka government recently included BMT under its Arogya Seva health insurance scheme, linked to Ayushman Bharat. Following a screening drive, seven children with Thalassemia major were identified in various districts and referred for BMT at Narayana Hrudayalaya in Bengaluru.

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The lab will play a crucial role in genetic screening and counselling, helping to detect the risk of Thalassemia in unborn children. Tests will be conducted on pregnant women who have previously given birth to a child with the disorder, to assess the likelihood of recurrence. Additionally, the Centre is providing specialised kits to ensure infection-free blood transfusions for Thalassemia children.