Rahul Bhargava, Director and Head of Hematology, Hematooncology, and Stem Cell Transplant at Fortis Health Care, shared on LinkedIn:
“The missing specialist in India’s blood cancer policy: the haematologist
India must recognise haematologists fully in the policies that shape blood cancer care.
Twenty-seven years after India’s first formal DM programme in Haematology began at CMC Vellore in 1999, the specialty should have an explicit place in national healthcare planning, treatment eligibility and clinical research.
Haematologists diagnose and treat leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma, and deliver stem cell transplantation and advanced cellular therapies. Yet concerns persist about their omission from treatment eligibility frameworks and investigator criteria for blood cancer trials. Where such exclusions exist, they deserve an urgent, transparent review.
How can we train specialists to manage these diseases and then create administrative barriers to their participation in the same care?
The Government of India and the National Health Authority should explicitly recognise appropriately qualified clinical haematologists in relevant treatment packages, empanelment criteria and advisory committees. Clinical trial eligibility should reflect relevant qualifications, disease expertise and research capability.
This requires collaboration between haematologists, medical oncologists and policymakers, with decisions guided by patient needs and demonstrated competence.
As we look towards Viksit Bharat 2047, our ambition must extend beyond access to treatment. The quality and outcomes of that treatment matter equally. Disease-focused care – ‘One disease. One doctor,’ supported by a multidisciplinary team – offers a direction towards deeper expertise and greater accountability.
Our appeal is simple: recognise the specialists India has trained, include them in the decisions that shape their field, and help patients understand whom to consult for blood cancers.
Professional recognition must serve one purpose above all: giving every patient the best chance of survival.”
Other articles about Rahul Bhargava on OncoDaily.