Bone marrow transplant: Mumbai’s Sion Hospitsal can handle 80 cases a year

Mumbai: Civic-run Sion Hospital has expanded its bone marrow transplant services at the Chota Sion Urban Health Centre, boosting annual transplant capacity from 20 to 80 cases. The upgraded facility boasts of a 26-bed ward, with five bone marrow transplant beds, a high-risk unit and a day-care centre.

Dr Sujata Sharma, additional professor from the bone marrow transplant unit, said the expansion would improve access to specialised treatment for patients with thalassemia, sickle cell disease, leukaemia and aplastic anaemia, many of whom are unable to afford private-sector care. The centre was inaugurated on May 8, World Thalassemia Day, by Mumbai mayor Ritu Tawde.

Treatment at Sion Hospital will be subsidised, and efforts will also be made to raise funds for patients. The expansion was supported by the Veha Foundation, which funded the facility’s infrastructure and has committed to underwriting operations for the next 10 years. Tata Memorial Hospital’s Dr Navin Khattry provided technical guidance for the project.