Bone Bank At Indore's MY Hospital To Resume Within A Week; ₹60K Grant Approved

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): The bone bank at Maharaja Yeshwantrao (MY) Hospital, which has remained non-functional for over 18 months due to administrative negligence, is set to resume operations within a week. MGM Medical College Dean Dr Arvind Ghanghoria has sanctioned Rs 60,000 to restore the facility, ensuring that patients in need of complex orthopaedic treatments can once again benefit from bone transplants.

Madhya Pradesh’s first bone bank was established at Mahatma Gandhi Memorial (MGM) Medical College in 2023 to provide advanced orthopaedic treatments, particularly for patients suffering from bone cancer, congenital deformities, and complex fractures.

However, despite its potential to revolutionize orthopaedic care in the state, the facility was rendered defunct due to administrative apathy. Dean Dr Arvind Ghanghoria has now taken the initiative to restore the facility. “We are committed to resolving the issues that led to its closure. The necessary funds have been approved, and we will ensure the bone bank is operational within a week,” he stated.

The bone bank is a crucial medical facility that does not rely on live donors, unlike organ transplants such as kidney or liver transplants. Instead, it preserves bones extracted from medical procedures like joint replacements and accident-related surgeries.

These bones, which would otherwise be discarded, undergo a rigorous process of disinfection, decalcification, and testing for infectious diseases before being stored at -80°C.

After six months, they are ready for use in orthopaedic procedures. With its revival, the bone bank at MY Hospital will provide cost-effective and life-saving orthopedic treatments. The move is expected to benefit accident victims, cancer patients, and those undergoing joint replacement surgeries, offering them a second chance at mobility and recovery.

32 preserved bones discarded

The downfall of the bone bank began when its deep freezer, essential for preserving donated bones, broke down within six months of installation. Due to delays in repairs, 32 preserved bones had to be discarded, depriving patients of a vital treatment option.

For the past 18 months, the facility has remained inoperative, with no concrete efforts from the administration to revive it, leaving patients in need of bone transplants with no alternative but to seek costly treatments elsewhere.