Now Reading: Assam hospital starts rare disease treatment, 15 patients on day one
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Assam hospital starts rare disease treatment, 15 patients on day one
Assam Medical College and Hospital (AMCH) in Dibrugarh officially began treatment for rare diseases on Friday, with 15 patients arriving for care on the first day. The patients came from across Assam,…
Assam Medical College and Hospital (AMCH) in Dibrugarh officially began treatment for rare diseases on Friday, with 15 patients arriving for care on the first day. The patients came from across Assam, including Guwahati, Tezpur, Nagaon and Sipajhar, and also from neighbouring Tripura.
AMCH was designated a Centre of Excellence for Rare Diseases under the National Policy for Rare Diseases 2021 by the Union health ministry last year. It is the first such centre in Assam and the second in the North East. Under the policy, eligible patients can receive central financial assistance of up to Rs 50 lakh for treatment.
AMCH has identified 85 patients with rare conditions, including 21 cases of Spinal Muscular Atrophy and 50 cases of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. The hospital plans to set up an advanced diagnostic laboratory with gene-sequencing facilities, for which the central government has approved Rs 5 crore. The facility is expected to be operational by the end of this year.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The high cost of rare disease medicines, often running into lakhs of rupees per patient per year, has historically forced many families in the North East to either travel to metros like Delhi or Mumbai, or forgo treatment entirely. AMCH's designation as a Centre of Excellence under the National Policy for Rare Diseases (NPRD) 2021 unlocks central funding of up to Rs 50 lakh per patient, directly addressing the affordability barrier. The hospital's identification of 85 patients in Assam alone suggests a significant unmet need, and the upcoming gene-sequencing lab could improve diagnosis rates, which are typically low in the region. A key number to watch is the number of patients who actually receive treatment in the next six months, as the NPRD's Rs 50-lakh cap may still fall short for conditions requiring lifelong therapy.
Source: assamtribune.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
