Jaipur, July 23.Health Minister Dr Raghu Sharma said that now blood cancer patients on targeted therapy in Rajasthan can get the genetic mutational tests done at State-of-the-art Molecular Haematology Lab in Sawai Man Singh Medical (SMS) College in Jaipur. This molecular haematology lab has been set up in Advanced Haematology Lab in SMS Medical College.
He said that the Advanced Haematology Laboratory also has started a new test for haemophilic patients for F-VIII inhibitors. These inhibitors develop in haemophilic patients after continuous infusion of F-VIII. This test at present is not available anywhere in Rajasthan and will prove to be a boon for haemophilic patients in their treatment and further care.
The Health Minister said that the Advanced Lab has now got a 12-colour Flow Cytometry, which also is State-of-the-art equipment. Such equipment is not present in any government or private health institution in the State.
The Health Minister said that the State Government has always been keen on providing very advanced and costly molecular tests at a cheaper rate to the patients of Rajasthan thus this molecular lab has been set up. He said that this lab is going to be a strong backbone for the treatment of the patients of Rajasthan. He said that this laboratory has been equipped with world class equipment especially designed for conducting various specialised tests.
Dr Sharma said that many patients under various categories like BPL, Widow, Handicap, pensioner scheme will be able to get all these costly tests done free of cost.
SMS Medical College Principal and Controller Dr Sudhir Bhandari said that Health Minister Dr Raghu Sharma is always in favour of the latest advancement in the field of medicine and it has been the result of his efforts that this molecular haematology lab has been set up in SMS Medical College, Jaipur.
Dr Bhandari said that it is a great privilege for the institution to start these new tests for the first time in any government institutions in Rajasthan. The new molecular tests which have been established are BCRABL – major, minor and micro, PML-RARA and JAK2V167F. These are some genetic mutational tests done on blood cancer patients who are on targeted therapy. These tests are repeatedly needed on cancer patients to know the result of drug on the cancer cells. Other Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) associated disease tests are also being done in this laboratory, which are HLA-B27 for ankylosing spondylitis, HLA typing for celiac disease on patients who are intolerant for gluten etc.
He said that 12-colour flow cytometry will help leukemic patients to know the residual leukemic cells in their blood and to further regulate their therapy.
Laboratory nodal officer and in-charge Dr. Sandhya Gulati and her team members Dr. Nidhi Sharma and Dr. Ankur Gupta has contributed immensely in setting up this technically Advanced Molecular Lab.
