Medanta has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Coal India Ltd. to provide life-saving treatment to children suffering from thalassemia, the most common blood disorder in India.

This collaboration, under Coal India's 'Thalassemia Bal Sewa Yojana', establishes a comprehensive financial support structure to make stem cell transplants more accessible to those in need.

As part of this initiative, Coal India will provide an initial advance of Rs 50 lakh to Medanta to kickstart the programme. The collaboration will offer financial support of up to Rs 10 lakh per patient for stem cell transplants, significantly reducing the financial burden on families seeking this life-saving treatment for thalassemia.

Furthermore, Coal India has committed to contributing an additional Rs 2 crore to bolster treatment efforts if Medanta successfully treats an average of more than 10 children annually under this programme. 

India, often referred to as the Thalassemia capital of the world, is home to one in every eight individuals affected by the condition. The country has the highest number of children suffering from thalassemia major, with estimates ranging between 100,000 to 150,000.

Each year, 10,000 to 15,000 infants are born with thalassemia major. The disease can significantly affect the quality of life causing anaemia, bone pain, organ damage, skeletal deformities and hindering growth among others. A stem cell transplant or bone marrow transplant (BMT) is the only cure and the best outcomes are usually achieved when it is performed early on in life. However, many struggle to receive optimal care as the cost of stem cell transplants can be prohibitive for many families.