Consultant, child oncology, haemato-oncology and BMT, Shobha Badiger talks to reporters in Vijayapora. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
North Karnataka rescuing stem cell transplantation among several children from the North Karnataka districts.
This is a new hope and treatment opportunity for children suffering from serious blood and immune disorders, hospital experts said to journalists in Vijayapora on Wednesday.
Shobha Badiger, consultant, pediatric oncology, haemato-oncology and BMT, said that her team had made several successful transplants rescuing life to children from the northern districts of Karnataka, such as Vijayapura, Bagalka, Raichur and Kalaburagi.
These children fought against conditions such as the main thalassemia (severe blood disorder requiring frequent transfusions), lack of G6PI (genetic disorder that causes red blood cells), aplastic anemia (condition where bone pulses stop producing blood cells).
“My youngest patient who underwent stem cell transplantation was one and half -year -old child and the oldest was 13. The youngest donor was only eight months, while the oldest was 51. Everyone is doing well now,” she said.
She added that children diagnosed with aplastic anemia (bone marrow failure), immunodeficiency disorders (weak immune system) and severe plaque defects (inability to clot blood) should undergo transplantation immediately after diagnosis to ensure the best results.
Team led by Dr. Badiger regularly performs outpatient clinics in Vijayapo, Bagalkot, Raichur and Kalaburagagi.
“These visits help us identify children with treatable conditions, provide advice to their families and facilitate recommendations and quick transplantation in Narayan Health City in Bengalur,” she said.
Stem cell transplantation (replacing damaged cells creating healthy blood) offers more than 80% success when done soon. The allogenic HSCT (using donor stem cells) treats the main thalassemia, aplastic anemia, severe insert disorders, G6PI deficiency, primary immunodeficiency and high -risk or relapsed leukemia.
Autologous transplants also benefit cancer, such as high -risk neuroblastoma and Medullo Blastoma.
Her team members said it was important that the conditions were diagnosed early. This could prevent irreversible damage to the organs, especially in the liver, heart and bone marrow.
In the main thalassemia, the ideal age for transplantation in children between 18 months and seven years and older children, provided that there is no damage to organs.
Dr. Badiger said the transplantation usually takes eight months to one year, depending on the condition of the patients.
She gave examples of a two -year -old boy with Major Thalassemia (heavy inherited anemia) underwent a transplant using stem cells from her infant sister after confirmation of the prenatal match. Both siblings now prosper more than two years after transplantation.
In another case, a young girl with Glanzmann’s thrombastenia (a rare inherited plate disorder where blood not knocked down) had life -threatening bleeding since childhood.
13 years ago she underwent the corresponding donor transplant. Now that she studied her exams II PU, she strives to become a doctor.
Another child with Major Thalassymia (blood -dependent disorder) received a haploidentic (half match) transplantation and remained without a disease for two years.
Two siblings with a deficiency of G6PI -dependent transfusion were cured after receiving stem cells from their sister, who is now a practicing nurse. All three siblings are doing well.
Published – October 9, 2025 22:24
