Manish Kumar
Poost News Network
Cuttack: The state government’s only facility for bone marrow transplantation (BMT) into patients suffering from blood disorders is now facing shortage of staff and beds.
The bone marrow transplant unit was set up on SCB Medical College campus at Cuttack April 14, 2014. The unit situated in the haematology department of the hospital provides no relief to transplant patients as the unit has only two dedicated beds for the patients.
A hospital administration source told Orissa POST, “There are two beds in the transplant unit. Those who come for treatment are accommodated in the unit for eight weeks. Consequently, thousands of patients keen to undergo transplantation are waiting desperately to avail the facility.”
Several patients come here as this is the only government centre where the transplantation is done free of cost. However, private super specialty clinics in the cities charge `15 lakh for providing the facility.
Meanwhile, the state government in its budget in 2014 and 2015 had dedicated funds to start bone marrow transplantation service. The service is useful for patients suffering from Thalassemia, Sickle Cell Anemia, Congenital anemia, blood cancer and other blood disorders.
The unit is managed by staff of haematology department and the dearth of dedicated doctors and para-medic staff is hampering the normal treatment for haematology patients. The department, meanwhile, has written to the authorities concerned to look into the matter.
Specialists providing the transplant facilities, meanwhile, have claimed 100 per cent success rate and overwhelming response from patients from all over Orissa. Dr R K Jena, HoD of BMT department told
Orissa POST, “Ours is the only centre in India which provides free of cost BMT services. We have treated 27 patients in the last two years and all of them are doing well after transplantion. Only one patient died of stroke which was not related to blood disorder or our procedure.”
The unit is expecting incorporation of more advanced technology in BMT for better healthcare facilities. Even after repeated attempts, SCB Medical College medical superintendent PK Rath did not respond to this newspaper after personal visits and phone calls over measures taken for the smooth functioning of bone marrow transplant unit at the hospital.
