Hemophilia team at India's Christian Medical College acts local and
thinks global. Bottom row: Mr. Charles P.K. Joseph, Dr. Vinoo Cherian (Orthopedics), Dr. G.D. Sundararaj, Dr. Vernon Lee, Dr. Alok Srivastava,
Dr. Mammen Chandy, and Dr. Soma Baidya. Middle row: Dr. Pradeep Poonnoose M, Mr. Surendar Singh, Dr. Sukesh C Nair, Dr. Biju George, Mrs. Mercy Devadarisini, and Dr. Judy A David. Top row: Mr. Sanjeev Padankatti, Dr. N. Manasseh (Orthopedics), Dr. Ashish S Macaden,
Mr. E. Srinivasan, Dr. Vikram Mathews, and Mr. G. Jayandharan.
Absent: Dr. Auro Viswabandya.
As the major hemophilia referral centre on the Indian subcontinent, which holds one-quarter of the world’s population, Christian Medical College in Vellore, India, has a very extensive mandate. “We have a huge responsibility on our shoulders,” says Dr. Alok Srivastava, co-director of the hemophilia team at Christian Medical College.
Like many of his colleagues, Dr. Srivastava puts in long hours, working six days a week. “All of the team works very hard,” he says, but adds, “When work becomes pleasure and not a chore, the hours don’t count.” Dr. Srivastava shares hemophilia team management responsibilities with Dr. Mammen Chandy, and together they have been working for a number of years to improve care and treatment throughout India.
“The greatest challenge we face in India and the rest of the developing world is to get government support for hemophilia care,” notes Dr. Srivastava. “The reality is that people need treatment now, not later. Gradually this is happening, but the process is very slow.”
The Christian Medical College team focuses on high-quality comprehensive care and developing new and innovative methods to treat hemophilia. The team’s vision is to ensure that everyone who needs treatment has access to it.
“Our motivation stems from the fact that we are often the last stop for many people with hemophilia. It is necessity that has forced us to be innovative,” says Dr. Srivastava.
“Hemophilia is a condition that usually requires high-cost care. We’re attempting to create protocols for effective treatment that are practical for the reality of the developing world. We’re perhaps succeeding in doing so. Scores of patients come here from all over India and neighbouring countries with complicated problems and then improve before they go away.”
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Researchers explore whether people
with
hemophilia
in India are less likely
to have
inhibitors. |
Team members are currently conducting the first long-term study in developing countries documenting the outcome of severe hemophilia treated with different treatment protocols. Nine developing countries are taking part. The team’s newest research initiative is to determine whether the incidence of inhibitors is lower among hemophilia patients in India than in developed countries, and if so, why.
“We have also developed the technology for comprehensive genetic diagnosis of hemophilia at a cost that is much lower than in the West,” says Dr. Srivastava.
The team’s vision, expertise, and hard work haven’t gone unnoticed. Team members constantly receive invitations to present at international conferences, including the World Hemophilia Congress in Vancouver last May.
In addition to being acclaimed medical researchers, the team is very active in the WFH International Hemophilia Training Centre Program. Since 2004, they have trained seven physiotherapists and three laboratory specialists from India, neighbouring Asian countries, and Africa. Countrywide, the team has trained 56 clinicians in comprehensive care for hemophilia over the past six years. The team also continues to treat patients from India and other countries who require complicated surgery or prolonged physical therapy.
“Because of the lack of government support for hemophilia care, our hospital has agreed to subsidize hemophilia care with part of the funds generated by its services to other blood-related disorders,” says Dr. Srivastava. “Thanks to this support, the team doesn’t have to refuse anyone who comes here for treatment.
The team has also helped many other centres in India and other developing countries achieve good treatment results. Some of the students they have trained are now setting up new centres in the country and following the centre's treatment protocols very successfully in their practice.
"Here is a group that doesn’t complain about their problems,” remarked WFH volunteer Dr. Carol Kasper of Los Angeles, U.S, who visited the Vellore centre. “They find ways to overcome them."
Last Updated October 2006
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