NRS Hosp successfully conducts bone marrow transplant
kolkata: NRS Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata has achieved an outstanding feat by curing a blood cancer patient from neighbouring Jharkhand through bone marrow transplant. This has become possible over a span of two and half months that too at completely free of costs.
State Health department has congratulated the NRS Medical College and its doctors who have made it possible. The family members of the patient have heaped praises on the Mamata Banerjee government for providing top health facilities at completely free of costs. The treatment would have cost a few lakh of rupees if the family members would have carried out the bone marrow transplant in any top private health establishments across the country. A top cancer hospital in Rajarhat also provides the same health facilities but it charges a patient a huge amount of money for doing so. The patient's family had only spent Rs 2 at the time of obtaining an outdoor ticket at the hospital.
The patient, Fehran Ali, a youth from Jharkhand was brought to the outpatient department around two and half months ago. The doctors at the hematology department examined the patient and decided to admit him in the hospital considering his health condition. A team was formed under the leadership of Head of the department of Hematology Dr Tufankanti Dolui. Other doctors in the team were Dr Rajib Dey, Dr Abhranil Baul, Dr Prakash Mondal and Dr Sandip Saha. The doctors felt the need for a bone marrow transplant that could revive the patient. The family members were told that bone marrow can be extracted from a sibling who is more likely to be a match. The best bone marrow transplant occurs when a patient's human leukocyte antigen (HLA) and the HLA of a registered member or cord blood unit closely match. In the present case, the sample of the patient's sibling matched. The doctors then went ahead and carried out the transplant.
Principal of the NRS Medical College and Hospital Prof Dr Pit Baran Chakraborty said that the patient has been completely cured by the doctors. Despite limited infrastructure in the field of cancer treatment at government level, NRS doctors have performed a commendable job.
Head of the department of Hematology, Dr Tufankanti Dolui, said that bone marrow was extracted from a relative of the patient and transplanted in his body. All the necessary parameters were fulfilled and tests were done. The patient will be able to lead a normal life, Dr Dolui added.
It may be mentioned here that the Hematology department of the NRS Medical College had obtained clearance from the Drug Control General of India. An 'ethics committee' has been formed at the hospital to look into various aspects. NRS Medical College can perform bone marrow transplant to cure patients suffering from hemophilia, thalassemia.
