Dr. Rahul Bhargava received the “MedAchievers Healthcare Icon” award.

DR Rahul Bhargava received the “MedAchievers Healthcare Icon” award.

The MedAchievers Healthcare Icon is an extremely prestigious and much-coveted award that is conferred upon leaders and change-makers in the field of healthcare, for their significant contribution towards providing innovation and excellence as well as dedicated service to society and patient centricity.

Instituted in 2014, it boasts of awardees such as Shri Amitabh Bachchan for his contribution to the Polio Eradication Campaign and Dr. Vijay Agarwal, President CAHO for his role in drafting the Polio Vaccination Program. Joining this legion of luminaries in 2018 is Dr. Rahul Bhargava, who received this award for his significant contribution in the field of Hematology through the management of blood-borne disorders and Stem Cell Transplant.

Hosted at The Taj Palace, New Delhi. Dr. Bhargava received the award from Michael Kasprowicz(former Australian cricket player and Director, Australian Cricket Board as well as the Australia – India Council.)

Other awardees included Dr. Dharminder Nagar, Founder, and MD, Paras Healthcare, Mr. Gaurav Malhotra, MD Medicover, Dr. DS Rana, Chairman, Sir Ganga Ram Hospitals, Dr. SN Jha, Chief of Ophthalmology, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, and Mr. Piyush Jain, Founder Impact Guru. The ceremony was conducted in the presence of Dr. Harshvardhan

Blood Cancer is a dreaded term- We have proven this wrong!

Blood Cancer is a dreaded term

Blood Cancer is a dreaded term because people view it as a death sentence from which no reprieve is possible. However, together we have proven this wrong! On September 26, 2018, we conducted the first Myeloma Survivor Meet where 40 people suffering from Myeloma came together to prove that early diagnosis and specialized treatment by experts, along with a positive attitude results in victory over the dreaded disease.

At the Meet, which is an initiative of The Institute of Blood Disorders (IBD) at FMRI, Gurugram, these survivors met with Nutritionists who gave them guidance and tips on the correct diet to follow in order to build strength and immunity, to successfully combat the disease.

Dr. Anirudh Dayama provided an insight into the latest developments in the field of Myeloma treatment and underscored the fact that the future for the treatment of Myeloma is extremely bright and positive.

The need of the hour is early diagnosis and expert treatment. At FMRI, this is addressed through the Institute of Blood Disorders, where the Myeloma Clinic, supported by haematopathology, and genomics provides comprehensive, top of the line, empathetic care and support that leads to happy outcomes where none were thought possible earlier.

Bone Marrow Transplant Centre at Bikaner: Hope Shines Bright.

Bone Marrow Transplant Centre at Bikaner

In this season of Deepawali, lamps are lit in households across India to banish darkness, negativity and bring in fresh hopes. It is only fitting that one such lamp was lit in Bikaner, where on 3rd November 2018, we established our 10th Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) Centre in collaboration with Dr. Surender Kumar Beniwal, Associate Professor, Medical Oncology, Acharya Tulsi Cancer Treatment & Research Institute, SP Medical College, Bikaner, and Dr. Pankaj Tantia, Hemato-Oncologist, Acharya Tulsi Cancer Treatment & Research Institute, SP Medical College, Bikaner.

We also signed an MOU with Govt. of Rajasthan for the same. With Divine blessings and your best wishes, we promise to double our efforts to establish more and more BMT centers across our nation. I thank Govt. Of Rajasthan, Fortis Hospital, Bikaner, Dr. Beniwal and Dr. Pankaj on this occasion. We request your continued support and blessings to ensure success in this mission…

Multiple Myeloma is Controllable over the long term due to Stem Cell Transplant.

Multiple Myeloma article

Multiple Myeloma article published in The Hindu for public awareness, as we need to know that all Cancers are not the same and we can substantially prolong the life in Multiple Myeloma type of Blood Cancer by doing Autologous Transplant.

As per the latest studies are done, Early BMT in MM has been shown to increase the patient outcomes and prolong the survival of the patient. So patients of MM must opt for Bone Marrow Transplant to live a longer healthier and disease-free life and the cost is not the hindrance also and is very affordable at the Institute of Blood Disorders, FMRI, Gurugram.

The need of the hour is to educate and aware the people about the benefits of Early Bone Marrow Transplant for better results.

The Health and Well being of our Senior Citizens is something we at FMRI take very seriously.

FMRI take very seriously

The health and well being of our Senior Citizens is something we at FMRI take very seriously They have given the best years of their lives to their families and their communities and now, it is time we prioritize them in their sunset years.

The need of the hour is to spread awareness about health and the need for regular, comprehensive medical check-ups so that they continue to live happy, healthy and productive lives and feel valued With this aim, today, FMRI organized a Mega Multi specialty Camp in Association with An Ideal Senior Citizens Federation (Regd), Guruhram at Arya Vidya Mandir, Girls Senior Secondary School, Sector-7, Gurugram.

306 Senior citizens of the federation availed benefits of the Multispecialty streams. We were honored to have as our Chief Guests: Mr. Aditya Kumar, Regional Group Editor, Dainik Jagran. Mr. Om Gupta, owner of OM Sweets chains of restaurants in the NCR Mr. Mukesh Chawla, BJP MLA nominee Specialists and Heads of the following specialties participated Dr. Rahul Bhargava, Hematologist Dr. Vishal Saxena, Nephrologist Dr. Nupur Gupta, Gynaecologist Dr. Attri, Cardiologist Dr. Rajesh, Orthopedics Dr. Anita Sethi, Ophthalmologist. The camp was a huge success but also highlighted the glaring lack of awareness towards their own health amongst our senior citizens

Indian healthcare has already taken great strides towards bringing quality healthcare through Generic Medicines

Today was a significant day in the field of global healthcare and an acknowledgment of the tremendous strides that Indian healthcare has taken in making life-saving cancer treatment widely available to the masses through the use of generic medicines.

It saw 21 participants from countries spanning the globe to come together at FMRI for a Preceptorship Program chaired by Dr. Rahul Bhargava, Director Hemato-Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplant, under the aegis of PACE initiative.

The participating doctors who are leaders of the medical fraternity in their respective countries were on a collaborative tour to India to observe how generic medicines are changing the landscape of cancer treatment in India.

Dr. Bhargava highlighted the importance of the program and said that no country, regardless of its economic affluence was in a position to provide the ideal cancer treatment to its citizens due to limited healthcare budgets and the escalating cost of cancer drugs.

According to him, Indian healthcare has already taken great strides towards bringing quality healthcare through generic medicines Other countries could take back valuable lessons from India’s achievements and use the knowledge attained in this program to improve their own healthcare systems.

Talk on Anemia and General Health concerns at the Mitsubishi India office by Dr. Rahul Bhargava

Talk on Anemia and General Health

Dr. Rahul Bhargava was invited to talk about Anemia and general health concerns at the Mitsubishi India office. There were 50 people who attended the talk session and free anemia check-up was performed.

It was not surprising to see a few anemic people who admitted that they feel tired and always lack energy while performing day to day tasks. For people working in a highly stressed and competitive environment, it becomes all the way more important to pay close attention to your own health.

Anemia is one such neglected segment especially amongst the women of our country. Young people with mild or moderate iron-deficiency anemia may not have symptoms.

However, more severe iron-deficiency anemia may cause fatigue, tiredness, shortness of breath, or chest pain and also increase irritability. This is the cause of concern which leads to other health issues such as an enlarged heart in the long run. 50% of Indian women are anemic.

Get your hemoglobin test done and find out the root cause. Iron deficiency anemia can be easily fixed by taking supplements and improving diet.

Cancer Awareness Session at Adani, Gurgaon.

Cancer Awareness Session at Adani

Cancer cases are growing at an annual rate of 18%. What it means for us is not only to treat but to go all out and use our knowledge in spreading awareness amongst fellow citizens.

There are few cancers like lung cancers, oral cancers and cervical cancers which can be prevented to some extent by lifestyle changes such as no tobacco use and getting the vaccination Many cancers such as breast cancers, liver cancers if detected during early stages can be managed by modern medicine.

In the USA, all individuals between 50-75 years are advised to undergo periodic colonoscopies to diagnose colon cancer early. Now that is some time away for us in India when we will have enough insurance coverage and health awareness to set such steep guidelines.

Lately, our society has also developed mistrust over doctor fraternity and many times the basic investigation also creates questions in the minds of the patients. We need to re-build this trust and move forward Our larger goal should always be focused upon cancer prevention, early detection and building trust through the right approach for our patients.

GvHD Prevention and it’s importance in the Bone Marrow Transplant Process.

Bone Marrow Transplant Process

GvHD prevention is possible and equally important in patients going through the process of a bone marrow transplant. A drug named abatacept indicated for approved usage of rheumatoid arthritis is currently in news.

This drug has received FDA’s attention because it is potent to be used for the prevention of GvHD. Now the availability of the drug for this new indication in the hospitals is anticipated.

GvHD (Graft versus host disease) is mainly a condition during which the transplanted graft starts reacting against the host. Today Bone marrow transplants are helping in treating several cancers like lymphoma, hashtag leukemia and it even offers a cure for different blood disorders including sickle-cell disease, metabolic disorders, and genetic immunodeficiencies, etc.

But during transplants there arises a high risk of GvHD which can be treated with some available line of treatments but not in every case depending upon severity. GvHD symptoms might vary from case to case from skin rashes, diarrhoea, and even liver damage, etc. So a constant need to prevent GvHD in the first place has now lead to a new prevention approach of using abatacept if approved.

Living the dream of Thalassemia free Southeast Asia

Thalassemia free Southeast Asia

Fortis Healthcare and Dr. Reddys bringing affordable and quality healthcare

2 Countries, 4 cities in 4 days: FLYING12000 + km from Delhi➡ Hanoi ➡ Ho Chi Minh City ➡ Phnom Penh ➡ Siem Reap ➡ Delhi This has been one of the most satisfying and productive whistle-stop trips of mine!

Brand India was promoted and battle against cancer was kicked off in Vietnam & Cambodia in order to make affordable, quality health care available to all. Case in point – BMT in Singapore costs USD 80,000 to 100k and USD 120k to 150k in Thailand.

To provide cost-effective life- saving treatment, we launched BMT program in both the countries to fight Thalassemia at the cost of $15k to 40k and presented compelling data that proves that India provides an equivalent or even better as compared to the best hospitals of Thailand and Singapore.

Fortis Hospitals has played a significant role in bringing excellence in healthcare at affordable cost by being one of the largest stem cell transplant centres in India. At Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Phnom Penh and Siem Reap we interacted with the pediatric oncologists and the general public, especially parents and children at school, raising awareness on Thalassemia.

Cancer- Notice it early via Symptoms, Save a life.

Blood Cancer Cure

These days cancer of different types is on the outspread everywhere. Amongst all blood cancer is considered a deadly one and it can even be caused by any other existing cancer.

Its symptoms might appear slowly making it hard to notice during initial stages. During blood cancer, the main impact is over the blood, bone marrow, or lymphatic system due to malignancy. Every individual might have slightly different experiences in terms of symptoms.

However, there are certain commonly observed blood cancer symptoms that must never be overlooked and a hematologist or hemato-oncologist must be referred immediately.

Symptoms include malaise, fatigue, extreme weakness, bleeding gums, frequent bone fractures, recurrent fever or infections, weight loss, anorexia, abdominal pain, bone pain, headaches, lymph node enlargement, etc.

The cause of blood cancer can be anything like family history, aging, multiple infections, or even a weak immune system. But one should not ignore symptoms and seek immediate help always from a specialist doctor.

Blood Cancer Myths and Ease of Treatment Availability

Blood cancer is one of those deadly diseases which were hard to cure at one time. But now Indian hospitals are equipped in every way to handle blood cancer cases and the provided treatment is also successful in curing the disease.

Blood cancer exists in its three major types- Leukemia, Lymphoma, and Myeloma. Every individual must notice early symptoms of blood cancer and even if in dilemma a hematologist or hemato-oncologist must be consulted.

Blood Cancer requires personalized treatment and care which needs to be tailored as per the patient’s needs. Some cases require chemotherapy sessions in combination with intensive care however in others Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) has emerged as the best curative option amongst several treatment options.

Treatment of Thalassemia

Treatment of Thalassemia
Treatment of Thalassemia

Treatment of thalassemia becomes mandatory in people with this disease. Because thalassemia causes a defect due to which new hemoglobin is not produced in the body which in turn inhibits new red blood cell formation. Thalassemia is not an infectious disease but instead is a genetically acquired the disease by birth.

This disease is very common among the population of South Asian, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern countries, and also in Africa, and China. A special blood test known as hemoglobin electrophoresis is done to analyze if a person has thalassemia condition or not. So in case you want to know if you are at risk of it you may discuss it with your doctor and get a test done to get a clear diagnosis of it and opt for treatment of thalassemia.

Also, one gene from the mother and another form the father might result in three types of the condition which include Thalassemia Minor, Thalassemia Minor, or Thalassemia Intermedia. Moreover, blood transfusions at regular intervals are the treatment upon which maximum patient rely for lifelong. It enables the patients to survive through the condition comparatively in the normal situation than without transfusions. Since there is no certain cure of this disease for every patient and research is still on for that. But a bone marrow transplant (BMT) is a newly reliable option for a cure but that too is not possible in every patient’s case. BMT has its own criteria and requirements which are not fulfilled in every cased besides it is also an expensive option.

How long is the Treatment of Thalassemia?

Treatment of thalassemia can require blood transfusions usually every 2 to 4 weeks depending upon the condition of the patient. It helps the patient to form new red blood cells which are required for survival. But when these red blood cells broke down than it leads to excessive iron in the body. Iron is essential for the body but an excess of it leads to organ failure and even death. So this excess of irony also needs to be removed at times to restore the functioning of the vital organs like the heart, liver, lungs, etc.

New drugs for chelation of iron causing its removal are available nowadays. This helps the patients survive normally without many complications. Which is otherwise not easy to remove excessive iron buildup from the tissues and leads to a fatal situation. Life expectancy and even quality of life of thalassemia patients are improved by new medical advancements coming each day like iron chelators.

Treatment of thalassemia begins after a proper series of test to analyze the type and condition of the patient with the condition. Besides, the blood transfusions and medications there are options of getting bone marrow transfusion done, spleen or gallbladder removal surgery if required.

How can I get low-cost treatment of Thalassemia?

Treatment of thalassemia is available at a very economical price and with good success rates and highly satisfied patients from several international countries do opt it. India has recently turned into a place of choice for international patients for the treatment mainly because of comparatively cheap and high-quality treatment optioned offered by several Indian hospitals. The Indian medical resources have gone global after since internet and online systems have hit the world. Everything is available on websites you can get complete assistance regarding treatment from consultation bookings to even accommodation options. There are online portals run to help the international patient during their medical visits in India. We are one of the renowned medical assistance providers and you may reach for issues like finding the best suitable hospital for any particular disease to finding the best doctor for you in entire India. Feel free to reach us via live chat on our portal for any queries.

Related FAQs:

Q1: Is BMT the only treatment of Thalassemia?

A: No, there are other options for the treatment of thalassemia. Like blood transfusions, medications, and surgeries for spleen and gallbladder removal as per the requirement of the case. But BMT is the till date most reliable way to cure this condition of thalassemia whereas others can only help in the treatment of thalassemia.

Q2: Which is the best country for treatment of Thalassemia and why?

A: India is considered to be the best country for the treatment of thalassemia. Because of the economic and standard quality treatment options offered.

Q3: What is the success rate of Thalassemia’s treatment?

A: Treatment of thalassemia has a good success rate by helping the patients live a normal life. Further, patients with less than 30 years of age without treatment of thalassemia has lesser chances of heart complications but the risks increase without treatment. Although severe anemia is minimized by treatment of thalassemia which reduces chances of organ failure and other fatal conditions.