The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has issued notices in response to a plea requesting the establishment of bone marrow transplantation surgery facilities and the appointment of a special team of doctors at the Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH).
A division bench consisting of Justices R. Subramanian and L. Victoria Gowri was hearing a petition filed by RTI Activist A. Veronica Mary of Madurai. She argued that bone marrow failure leads to the marrow becoming inactive, which in turn causes a decrease in blood cells.
Bone marrow transplant surgery is a crucial procedure for treating rare conditions such as aplastic anemia. According to the petition, the number of people suffering from bone marrow problems in the state has been on the rise.
While private hospitals charge between Rs 15 lakh and Rs 20 lakh for treatment, GRH does not offer such a facility. Currently, bone marrow transplant surgery is only available at the Rajiv Gandhi Memorial General Hospital in Chennai, where 101 patients have benefited from the treatment in recent years. Patients are required to stay at the Chennai facility for 30 to 50 days, depending on their condition.
Patients from districts far from Chennai, such as Kanniyakumari, Coimbatore, Nilgiris, Krishnagiri, Thoothukudi, Madurai, Theni, and Dindigul, are reliant on this Chennai facility.
Veronica Mary has requested the court to direct the establishment of bone marrow transplantation surgery facilities and the appointment of a specialized team of doctors and medical staff at GRH to cater to patients from the southern districts of the state.
