How Dr. Sandeep Nemani closed the care gap, bringing cancer care to the historical twin cities of Maharashtra – Sangli & Miraj
Blood cancers cause disruptions in the formation and function of your blood cells. The majority of these cancers begin in the bone marrow, which produces blood. Red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets are the three types of blood cells that grow and mature in the marrow of your bone marrow.
Most blood cancers are caused by the uncontrolled proliferation of an abnormal type of blood cell, which disrupts blood cell development. These cancerous cells, also called abnormal blood cells, prevent your blood from performing a variety of functions, such as fighting infections and preventing catastrophic bleeding.
Blood tumours are classified into three types:
Leukaemia
Lymphoma
Myeloma
THE CONDITION IN INDIA
Many people in India die of blood cancer as a result of the unavoidable costs of treatment, which are then followed by exorbitant aftercare costs. However, one doctor has dedicated his life to treating patients with blood cancers. Dr. Sandeep Nemani, who is also a HealthPlix doctor.
BRIDGING THE GAP
Dr. Sandeep Nemani earned his MD in Internal Medicine from Topiwala National Medical College and Nair Hospital in Mumbai. In college, he was first in his MD exam. He has been fascinated by haematology since his medical school days. Vellore’s prestigious Christian Medical College awarded him a DM in Clinical Haematology. He also came out on top in MGR University in Tamil Nadu, where he received a Gold Medal.
He established a Bone Marrow Transplant Center at Shri Siddhivinayak Ganapati Cancer Hospital in Miraj, and has vast experience in stem cell and bone marrow transplants.
According to Dr. Sandeep, people in Miraj and Sangli, for example, lacked access to effective blood cancer treatment. They were forced to travel to Mumbai or Pune for treatment. It was sometimes difficult to get to these locations due to distance and finances. Dr. Nemani, on the other hand, saw the problem and decided to close the gap between patients and treatment by bringing the service closer to them.
He shares, “In this region of the country, we’ve also started doing bone marrow transplants. Sangli and Miraj have a long history of producing outstanding doctors in practically every field. For a long period, this region lacked haematological services. Patients were travelling to metro areas like Pune and Mumbai for diagnosis and treatment of a variety of haematological illnesses, which posed both financial and logistical challenges. In light of this, we are pleased that Sangli-Miraj now offers world-class haematological care.”
Dr. Sandeep has treated a dozen patients in this location so far, with a 70% success rate.
Dr. Sandeep remembers treating his first patient with blood cancer in Sangli. The patient was a 30-year-old man who had been diagnosed with blood malignancy. They needed to get his bone marrow transplant done after they treated him. As a result, Dr. Nemani suggested that it be completed in a metropolis. The patient refused and insisted on being treated in his hospital. Dr. Nemani performed his first bone marrow transplant in Sangli after the patient requested it, and it was a success. The patient is now in good health and has two children.
HealthPlix would like to salute doctors like Sandeep Nemani who have gone above and beyond their means and brought healthcare to remote towns and even treated patients free of cost, arranging reports, organising therapy, and advanced technologies.