33 More Stem Cell Transplant Centres to be Opened Soon:DGAFMS

New Delhi, Sept 30 (UNI) Armed Forces Medical Services chief Surgeon Vice Admiral V K Singh today called on oncologists and haematologists to be prepared to shoulder challenging tasks ahead as the number of patients in these areas will rise at an alarming pace in the near future.

Speaking after inaugurating the 'National Conference on Stem Cell Transplantation,' he said that the past decade had seen a dramatic and dynamic expansion in the clinical discipline of stem cell transplantation.

''Stem cells can be sourced from the bone marrow, peripheral blood and umbilical cord blood for conventional stem cell transplantation,'' he said.

This nascent field of haemato-oncology, which is only a few decades old was introduced in India in 1983. Presently, this procedure is available in only a handful of centers.

''However in the near future, we envisage a network of 33 more centers in the country,'' the DGAFMS said.

The present stem cell transplantation center is functional in Army Research and Referral Hospital. Since February 2002 under the guidance of Maj Gen O P Mathew, so far about 96 transplants for haematological malignancies have been carried out.

The two-day conference, organised under the aegis of Department of Haematology at Army Hospital here, is being attended by well-known haematologists and oncologists from all over the country, both from the Armed Forces and civil institutions. During the two days, they are expected to discuss on the intricate procedures involved in the stem cell transplantation programme.

UNI DG VD VV1947