After months of delay, Maharashtra approves ₹45 crore for haemophilia drugs

Hindustan Times

8 hours ago

Mumbai: After months of disruption caused by the Centre halting the supply of life-saving anti-haemophilic factors (AHFs), the Maharashtra government has sanctioned ₹45 crore for the urgent procurement of clotting factor injections used in the treatment of haemophilia.
This includes Factor VII and Factor VIII (both plasma-derived and recombinant forms), Factor IX, and FEIBA (Anti-Inhibitor Coagulant Complex). These essential drugs are critical for preventing fatal bleeds in patients with haemophilia, a rare genetic blood-clotting disorder.
An AHF is a protein naturally produced in the human body that plays a crucial role in blood clotting.
The state's approval, formalised in a government resolution dated June 18, covers the purchase of over 100,000 vials of AHFs. This includes 25,147 vials of Factor VIII, 21,835 vials of Recombinant Factor VIII, 18,520 vials of Factor IX, and 4,605 vials of FEIBA. These medications fall under the government's essential drug list and will be distributed across Maharashtra through designated day-care haemophilia centres.
The intervention comes in response to a policy shift by the Union health ministry, which earlier redirected funding from tertiary medical colleges to district hospitals. Previously, centrally allocated funds were used by institutions like Mumbai's KEM Hospital to procure AHFs. However, under the revised guidelines, civic-run institutions such as KEM no longer qualify for central support. This has crippled services at KEM, despite the hospital treating over 950 haemophilia patients from across Maharashtra.
In one instance, a 29-year-old IT professional from Mira Road, suffering from severe joint and muscle bleeding, was turned away by the Thane Civil Hospital and referred to KEM. Due to critical shortages, he received only two units of Factor VIII—far below the therapeutic dose based on body weight—sharply increasing the risk of long-term disability. In cases of internal or brain bleeding, such delays could be fatal.
Crucial policy shift
Dr Mahendra Kendre, assistant director (blood cell) at the Directorate of Health Services, said the state's decision marks a crucial policy shift to safeguard haemophilia care. 'The withdrawal of central funding from medical colleges like KEM disrupted access to life-saving treatment,' he said. 'With this dedicated state budget and procurement policy, we are ensuring patients are no longer left vulnerable and that treatment continuity is maintained across Maharashtra.'
As per the new directive, AHFs must now be stocked at all haemophilia daycare centres across the state. These drugs are significantly more expensive than standard medicines—some costing up to ₹40,000 per vial—and are essential to prevent life-threatening bleeds and irreversible joint damage.
While the state's intervention brings relief, systemic flaws still threaten treatment continuity. 'Companies bid without maintaining stock, and the system allows it. Patients are paying the price,' said Jigar Kotecha, secretary of the Mumbai chapter of the Haemophilia Society, an NGO.
Frequent tender failures and delivery delays have left patients vulnerable. The new budget and streamlined procurement policy aim to fix these gaps, ensuring steady access to life-saving drugs and preventing further avoidable harm.
The Haemophilia Society is demanding a more robust procurement framework, timely stock replenishment, and the inclusion of advanced therapies such as extended half-life factors and non-factor treatments for patients who develop inhibitors.
In a letter to the health ministry, the NGO also urged the government not to deny AHF supplies to hospitals like KEM until a capable alternative is formally designated. 'We are not asking for luxuries; we are asking for survival,' Kotecha wrote.
With no dedicated civil hospital in Mumbai and tertiary centres excluded from federal schemes, advocacy groups have urged Maharashtra to adopt successful models from states like Gujarat and Telangana. Until then, patients remain reliant on emergency fixes and fragile supply chains.