SCB Medical College Performs First Haplo-BMT in Odisha

Cuttack: A groundbreaking milestone was achieved by the medical team at the state-run SCB Medical College and Hospital as they successfully performed Odisha’s inaugural Halo Allogenic Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT). This pioneering procedure, offered free of cost by the state government for cancerous and blood diseases, involves a Haplo-BMT, a life-saving technique that allows transplants from half-matched donors.

The recipient of this significant bone marrow transplant was 19-year-old Sabyasachi Sahoo, a relapsed blood cancer patient from Kantamali in Khurda district. Diagnosed with B-ALL (B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia) in August 2016, Sabyasachi’s cancer relapsed after completing the full chemotherapy protocol, leaving BMT as the final option. Fortunately, a test on his 15-year-old brother revealed a 50% match, leading to the successful collection of stem cells from his brother for the transplant, which took place on Tuesday.

Professor Rabindra Kumar Jena, the head of the Clinical Haematology Department and BMT unit, explained the significance of Haplo BMT, emphasizing that the chance of finding an HLA-matched unrelated donor was rare and expensive, making it inaccessible for many patients. Haplo BMT now provides a viable and cost-effective alternative for those in need, significantly broadening the scope of life-saving options.

The patient will continue treatment in the BMT unit for the next three weeks, receiving irradiated blood, platelets, and other supportive measures following the standard protocol. It’s worth noting that Odisha remains at the forefront of healthcare accessibility by being the first state in the country to provide BMT entirely free of cost. Despite the substantial costs associated with Haplo BMT, the state government’s commitment to Universal Free Health Care services ensures that critical procedures like this one are accessible to all, providing hope and healing for those in need.