Life could become much easier for hundreds of hematology patients in Himachal Pradesh if the state government installs a plasma apheresis machine, a key component of bone marrow transplant procedures, at the tertiary cancer hospital in Shimla.
“A lot of patients battling hematological disorders will benefit if this machine is installed in Shimla. Many patients currently have to go to PGI for bone marrow transplants, where the waiting list is long and they often have to wait for three to four months,” said Dr Pankaj Malhotra, Head of the Department of Hematology at PGIMER, Chandigarh. Dr Malhotra is in Shimla for a two-day symposium on hematology-related diseases.
These disorders include blood cancers such as multiple myeloma and lymphoma, as well as serious conditions like thalassemia and hemophilia. The three-to-four-month wait for a bone marrow transplant can prove dangerous, particularly in aggressive cancers that can progress rapidly.
“Patients would receive timely treatment if the machine were available in Shimla. In hematological diseases, timely intervention is critical,” said Dr Malhotra.
The installation of the machine would cost Rs 50 lakh. The demand comes at a time when the state government has been investing heavily in strengthening healthcare infrastructure. Several state-of-the-art facilities, including robotic surgery services, have been introduced at medical colleges and the Atal Institute of Medical Super Specialties.
“I have noticed that the PET-CT scan facility has come up in Shimla. It is a very good diagnostic facility. A bone marrow transplant facility, whenever it becomes available, will provide significant relief to hematology patients,” said Dr Malhotra.
He added that the machine would not only benefit patients suffering from hematological disorders but also those whose platelet counts have fallen due to dengue, pregnancy-related complications, or other medical conditions. Dr Malhotra further said that he would stay in Shimla to oversee the initial transplants and train staff for the procedures.
At the two-day symposium being held at IGMC, hematology specialists from PGI Chandigarh, AIIMS Delhi, Bilaspur, Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Hospital in Rohini, and Lucknow are discussing ways to combat cancer, the latest treatment options, and the benefits of emerging cancer research from across the world. Dr Manish Gupta, Head of the Cancer Department at IGMC, expressed hope that bone marrow transplant facilities would soon become available in Shimla.
