Ahmedabad Civil Hospital provided free haemophilia treatment valued at more than ₹17 crore to 669 patients during the 2025-26 financial year, Gujarat Health Minister Praful Pansheriya announced, calling the initiative a direct reflection of the state government's commitment to life-saving care for those afflicted by the rare bleeding disorder. The programme, backed by bulk procurement of costly clotting factor injections, ensured that not a single patient paid out of pocket.

Scale of the Programme

According to Ahmedabad Civil Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Rakesh Joshi, the treatment delivered during 2025-26 included a detailed breakdown of specialised therapies. The hospital administered 2,095 Factor VIII injections, 1,100 Factor IX injections, 397 Factor VII injections, 103 Factor IX inhibitor treatments, 278 Factor VIII inhibitor treatments, 626 FEIBA injections, and 243 Emicizumab injections — all at no cost to patients.

'The exact factor that is lacking in a patient's body is administered directly in the form of an injection. These injections are a highly effective treatment for controlling bleeding in haemophilia patients and saving their lives,' Dr Joshi said.

How the Government Is Funding It

Minister Pansheriya explained that the state, under Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, has procured the expensive clotting factor injections in bulk through GMERSCL (Gujarat Medical Education and Research Services Corporation Limited), significantly reducing per-unit costs. The free supply extends beyond Ahmedabad to government hospitals across Gujarat, covering patients who would otherwise be unable to afford treatment.

'The clotting factor injections required by haemophilia patients are extremely expensive, and many ordinary and economically weaker patients cannot afford them. Understanding this financial hardship, the government has procured these costly injections in bulk,' Pansheriya said.

What Is Haemophilia

Haemophilia is a rare inherited genetic disorder caused by a deficiency of clotting factors VII, VIII, or IX — proteins essential for blood coagulation. Patients with this condition face prolonged or spontaneous internal and external bleeding even after minor injuries. Without timely administration of clotting factor injections, complications can be life-threatening.

Impact on Patients and Families

Dr Joshi credited the state government's financial support for enabling uninterrupted access to care. 'The financial support and sensitive approach of the state government have ensured that all patients at Civil Hospital receive this expensive treatment without spending a single rupee. As a result, we have succeeded in saving hundreds of lives,' he said.

This comes amid a broader push by the Gujarat government to reduce the medical expenditure burden on poor and middle-class families. The haemophilia programme is among several targeted health interventions designed to address high-cost rare diseases that fall outside the reach of routine insurance or personal savings. With treatment now institutionalised through bulk procurement and hospital-level distribution, the model could serve as a template for other states grappling with similar rare-disease access gaps.