Ahmedabad: Gujarat continues to carry a significant burden of inherited blood disorders, particularly sickle cell disease and thalassemia, underscoring the need for timely diagnosis and access to curative therapies.

As per data tabled by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in the Lok Sabha, over 77.34 lakh indiv

iduals have been screened for sickle cell disease in Gujarat up to July 28, 2025, of which 28,178 have been confirmed as diseased. Nationally, over 33.44 lakh individuals were screened for thalassemia until February 9, 2026, with 11,274 identified as thalassemia major cases and 94,542 detected as carriers of the disorder.

While the parliamentary data provides national thalassemia figures, Gujarat has historically reported a significant burden of thalassemia, particularly in certain communities, adding to the state’s overall challenge of managing genetic haemoglobin disorders.

For thousands of affected families, managing these conditions often involves lifelong blood transfusions, iron chelation therapy, repeated hospital visits, and continuous monitoring — significantly impacting quality of life and placing long-term medical and financial strain on households.

Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT), also known as haematopoietic stem cell transplant, remains the only established curative treatment for thalassemia major and selected severe forms of sickle cell disease. Beyond inherited haemoglobin disorders, BMT is also the standard curative approach for many serious blood-related conditions such as acute and chronic leukemias, lymphomas, and bone marrow failure syndromes that do not respond adequately to conventional therapies.

The procedure replaces defective or diseased bone marrow with healthy stem cells capable of producing normal blood cells. Advances in donor matching, conditioning regimens, infection control, and supportive care have led to improved survival outcomes over the past decade, particularly when patients are referred early in the course of disease.

“Bone Marrow Transplant has transformed the outlook for patients with serious blood disorders. For many children and young adults with thalassemia major, severe sickle cell disease, leukemias, or bone marrow failure syndromes, transplant offers the possibility of long-term disease control or cure. With early referral and appropriate donor selection, survival outcomes today are far better than what we saw a decade ago,” said Lt. Gen. Dr Velu Nair (Retd), Haemato-Oncologist, Apollo Hospitals, Ahmedabad.

He added that in recent years, cellular therapies such as CAR-T cell therapy (Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell therapy) have emerged as an important advancement in the treatment of certain relapsed or refractory leukemias and lymphomas. “CAR-T therapy represents a major step forward in precision immunotherapy, particularly for patients who have exhausted conventional treatment options. While not a replacement for transplant in all cases, it has shown excellent response rates in selected patients,” he said.

The BMT and Cellular Therapy unit at Apollo Hospitals, Ahmedabad, has successfully treated a significant number of patients with leukemias, lymphomas, and inherited blood disorders, including rare bone marrow failure syndromes such as Shwachman-Diamond Syndrome and Hyper IgD syndrome, with encouraging clinical outcomes.

Medical experts emphasise that early diagnosis through screening programmes, genetic counselling for at-risk families, and timely transplant evaluation significantly enhance outcomes. With Gujarat facing a measurable burden of inherited and acquired blood disorders, experts stress that expanding awareness about curative options such as Bone Marrow Transplant is critical to reducing lifelong dependence on transfusions and long-term medical management.

Initiatives such as Apollo Hospitals’ “Zero to Hero” campaign aim to increase awareness about early detection and encourage families to explore curative options like Bone Marrow Transplant at the right stage of disease. By strengthening awareness and access to advanced care, healthcare providers hope to offer renewed hope to families affected by inherited and rare blood disorders.