Marking Aplastic Anemia Awareness Week (March 1–7) under the theme “Voices of Strength and Hope,” Bharat Serum and Vaccines Limited (BSV), a Mankind Group company, has called for collaborative action among healthcare stakeholders to bridge critical gaps from diagnosis to management of aplastic anemia in India.
According to estimates, India reports nearly 20,000 cases of aplastic anemia annually, with incidence in Asia two to three times higher than in Western countries. Aplastic anemia is a rare and serious condition in which bone marrow fails to produce adequate red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets, resulting in pancytopenia. Studies from tertiary centres indicate that 20–40% of patients presenting with pancytopenia are diagnosed with aplastic anemia.
Dr. Santosh Kumar, Consultant Pediatric Hemato-oncologist and BMT physician at Medanta Hospital, Patna, said delayed evaluation and limited access to specialised diagnostics remain major challenges. “Persistent fatigue, frequent infections, unexplained bruising or abnormal bleeding should prompt timely medical evaluation. Diagnosis requires comprehensive tests such as CBP, clinical evaluation and bone marrow biopsy,” he said.