HYDERABAD: Over 50 patients availed free myeloma treatment, which would have cost them lakhs of rupees, under the Arogyasri scheme at Nizam Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) on Saturday.
NIMS director K Manohar, speaking to the reporters on the sidelines of the third edition of Indian Myeloma Congress-2020 at the hospital, said over 100 patients consult doctors at NIMS every day. Multiple myeloma is a cancer that forms in a white blood cell called plasma cell, which is responsible for making antibodies that recognise and attack germs.
Dr G Sadasivudu, head of the Department of Medical Oncology at NIMS, said people usually tend to ignore symptoms of blood cancer.
He also said 20 years ago, patients who were affected with myeloma would die within two years. However, with the recent advances in technology, patients live for more than 10 years, he added. He also said, "Services such as chemotherapy and bone marrow transplantation are being provided at the medical oncology department (of NIMS) for multiple myeloma."
The conference got under way on Saturday at NIMS, and was attended by over 270 doctors from India and the USA. An awareness walk on myeloma was conducted by the organising committee
Infra, diagnostic services,PET scans updated at NIMS
During the inaugural session of the Congress, NIMS director Manohar said infrastructure, diagnostic services and PET scan have been updated at the hospital. "Now, patients can avail the service of bone marrow transplant for free at NIMS under the Arogyashri scheme, which otherwise costs more than Rs 10 lakh," he said.