Southern Tamil Nadu Lacks Bone Marrow Transplant Facilities, Forcing Patients to Travel

Patients from southern districts of Tamil Nadu are facing severe challenges in accessing advanced cancer treatment, particularly bone marrow transplants (BMT). With no such facilities available at the Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital (TvMCH) or other nearby government hospitals, many blood cancer patients are forced to travel to Chennai or the Regional Cancer Centre (RCC) in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.

Patients Struggle With Travel, Costs, and Access

A recent ground report revealed that at least 20 patients suffering from blood cancers such as Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) and Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) from districts like Kanniyakumari, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, and Thoothukudi are undergoing treatment at RCC due to the absence of BMT units in their home districts.

“We were told to go to private hospitals in Vellore or Chennai if we couldn’t travel to RCC. Since my brother couldn’t endure a 700 km journey, we chose Thiruvananthapuram. But we’re not covered by PM-JAY insurance, and his treatment has already cost us lakhs,” said a 27-year-old caretaker from Tirunelveli.

Patients also revealed that for a BMT procedure, hospitals are demanding between ₹12 lakh to ₹16 lakh, making the treatment unaffordable for many.

RCC Sees Spike in Tamil Nadu Patients

According to RCC Director Dr Rekha A Nair, the center registered 1,521 new patients from Tamil Nadu in 2024-25 alone. A majority of these were from the southern districts:

• Kanniyakumari – 40.63%

• Tirunelveli – 11.9%

• Tenkasi – 10.65%

• Thoothukudi – 7.36%

Other districts like Coimbatore, Virudhunagar, Tiruppur, and even Chennai have referred patients to RCC despite having local facilities, showing the trust and dependency on RCC's advanced care.

Only Two Government BMT Units in Tamil Nadu

Currently, only two government hospitals in Chennai offer BMT facilities. This forces patients from distant regions to undertake long, expensive, and physically demanding journeys just to access life-saving care.

Dr Arumugam, Head of Oncology at TvMCH, confirmed that between 2020 and 2024, the hospital diagnosed:

• 39 ALL cases

• 42 AML cases

However, due to the lack of BMT facilities, they had no option but to refer these cases to other states or Chennai.

Future Plans: Funds and Expansion Hopes

The state government is now planning to bridge this healthcare gap. TvMCH is awaiting ₹84 crore from the Union Ministry of Minority Affairs, which will help upgrade its cancer treatment facilities. District Collector Dr R Sukumar has promised to facilitate the fund disbursement quickly.

Additionally, Director of Medical Education (DME) Dr J Sangumani has announced that Tamil Nadu will soon set up a BMT unit at Madurai Rajaji Government Medical College & Hospital, and is considering a unit in Tirunelveli in the future.

Conclusion: The Urgent Need for Regional BMT Units

The plight of blood cancer patients in southern Tamil Nadu reflects a critical gap in healthcare infrastructure. While Chennai and Kerala offer advanced care, the financial burden and physical toll of travel remain major obstacles. Establishing regional bone marrow transplant units in cities like Tirunelveli or Madurai is not just a medical need but a humanitarian one.

Until then, patients continue to endure emotional and financial stress, fighting not just cancer—but also a system yet to reach them.