Pediatric Hemoglobinopathy BMT Fellowship

A 6-month intensive hands-on training course for physicians with pediatric hematology/oncology background, interested in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for the cure of hemoglobinopathies in middle-income countries.

Background

The Sankalp Cure2Children Program for Cure from Hemoglobinopathies is a joint initiative between Sankalp India Foundation, Bangalore (SIF) and Cure2Children Foundation, Italy (C2C) which was launched in July 2015 and offers Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) for severe thalassemia and sickle cell disease. BMTs are done at 2 centres in India, the primary nodal centre being at Bhagwan Mahaveer Jain Hospital (BMJH), Bangalore. The 10-bedded BMT facility at BMJH with an additional 3-bedded Hight Dependency Unit, dedicated pharmacy and outpatient facilities, is spread over 15,000 square feet of space, see video. The facility was funded by DKMS, which is the world’s largest network of donor centers with 11.6 million registered donors.

The team has completed more than 500 BMTs and is currently performing on average 2 new BMT/week primarily for severe hemoglobinopathies which makes it probably the most active center for the cure of hemoglobinopathies globally. In addition to transplant volume, the center places major emphasis on frugal innovation leading to several unique practices that have improved patient care, value delivery and access to cure. The program heavily relies on information and communication technology based on one of the most advanced and comprehensive online BMT management platforms (BMTPlus, www.bmtplus.net) which also facilitates the involvement of senior consultants and experts from around the globe.

The program manages several thalassemia day care centers across India. A clinical fellow in this program will have an added opportunity to build experience in the supportive care of patients with blood transfusion, iron chelation etc, as well as in the diagnosis and counselling of hemoglobinopathies.

Main scientific publications

Program unique features

The program might be attractive to pediatricians and/or hematologists with a special interest in:

• Cure of severe thalassemia or sickle cell disease
• Frugal innovation and comparative effectiveness applied to complex medical procedures.
• Medical application of Information and communication technology as well as artificial intelligence.
• Networking with international condition-specific experts applied to the optimization of treatment outcomes and cost-effectiveness.
• Prospective and retrospective studies on a homogeneous group of patients and medical procedures.

Duration

The program consists of a six-month period subordinated to license approval by the Medical Council of India. Applications are possible at any time.

Benefits

Salary

The fellow will receive a competitive compensation that will ensure a comfortable quality of life in Bangalore.

Travel and accommodation

Travel expenses will be covered and a furnished apartment close to the hospital premises will be provided.

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