Experts highlight deficit of blood stem cell donors in India

New Delhi: Every year, over a lakh of people from India are diagnosed with blood cancer and disorders such as thalassemia and aplastic anemia. For many of these patients, a blood stem cell transplant is their only hope for survival but despite being home to the world's largest population, the country's healthcare system still lags in ensuring adequate blood stem cell donors, inform experts

According to DKMS BMST Foundation India a NGO working to help cancer patients only 0.09 per cent of the population is registered as donors.

While conventional methods like chemotherapy and radiation therapy are available, a blood stem cell transplant is often crucial for patients who are at high risk of relapse or who do not respond well to conventional treatments.

Expressing his views on the eve of World Cancer Day, Patrick Paul, CEO, DKMS BMST Foundation India, said, “In India, someone is diagnosed with blood cancer or a severe blood disorder every five minutes. Despite the global registry having over 41 million donors, India has only about 0.6 million registered. Thousands of patients are in dire need of matching stem cell donors to undergo life-saving transplants..”

Informing that many are not aware on blood stem cell donation, Dr Nitin Agarwal, MD Transfusion Medicine, Head of Donor Request Management, DKMS BMST Foundation India said, “Many people in India have incorrect beliefs about the process. It's crucial to understand that matching for stem cell transplants is based on Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) characteristics, not just blood type. Education is key to dispelling these misconceptions and encouraging more people to register.”

Sharing his experience a 23-year-old donor, Loni Lipsa, said, “I initially had misconceptions about the process involved, but I was pleasantly surprised by how simple and painless it was. One of the challenges was to get my parent's permission to go ahead with the donation. Due to the lack of awareness, many people don’t know the importance of registering and if given a chance donating their stem cells. The thought of potentially saving someone's life made every step worthwhile.”

According to the Union Health Ministry, to be a potential stem cell donor one needs to be a healthy adult aged between 18 and 55 years.