Patna: In a significant move towards combating thalassemia in Bihar, six children suffering from the blood disorder were airlifted from Patna to the Christian Medical College (CMC) in Vellore on Wednesday for bone marrow transplants under the Chief Minister Bal Thalassemia Yojana.
The state government, through this scheme, provides free bone marrow transplants to eligible children under the age of 12 who have a suitable HLA match. So far, 11 children have undergone successful transplants as part of the initiative. Each transplant, including treatment, travel, accommodation and other related expenses, is funded up to Rs 15 lakh by the government.
The children transferred on Monday hail from Sitamarhi, Patna, Vaishali and Jehanabad districts. This initiative forms part of Bihar’s wider efforts to create a thalassemia-free state through comprehensive screening, awareness campaigns, and improved treatment facilities.
To support ongoing care, the government has established day care centres across key hospitals in the state — including Patna Medical College Hospital (PMCH), Anugrah Narayan Magadh Medical College and Hospital (ANMMCH) in Gaya, Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH) in Muzaffarpur, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital (JLNMCH) in Bhagalpur, Government Medical College in Purnia, and AIIMS Patna. These centres offer essential services such as blood transfusions, iron chelation therapy, counselling, physiotherapy, and a clean environment for children living with thalassemia, hemophilia and sickle cell anemia.
Over 2,700 patients have been registered under the scheme to date, reflecting the government’s commitment to eradicating thalassemia through early diagnosis and quality care.
