RGCIRC holds BMT conclave 2026, focus on nursing care and infection control
Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute & Research Centre (RGCIRC) organised BMT Conclave 2026, titled “Guarding the Graft: Nursing Care and Infection Control in BMT,” on September 26, bringing together specialists, nurses and healthcare professionals to discuss the clinical, nursing, infection-control and operational aspects of bone marrow transplantation.
Sessions covered the physical set-up of a BMT unit, pre-transplant preparation, conditioning therapy, donor management, stem cell collection, nursing responsibilities, post-transplant complications and newer approaches such as CAR-T cell therapy.
The programme opened with a session on “BMT Unit Physical Set-up: Building an Infection-Safe Environment,” chaired by Dr Narendra Agrawal, Senior Consultant and Unit Head, Hemato Oncology and BMT, RGCIRC. Agrawal said bone marrow transplantation is among the most complex treatment pathways in oncology and hematology, with success depending on meticulous infection control, continuous monitoring and coordinated nursing care alongside the transplant procedure itself.
Afternoon sessions covered post-BMT management in paediatric patients, focusing on complications and nursing interventions, followed by an overview of CAR-T cell therapy.
Dr Dinesh Bhurani, Director, Department of Haemato-Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplant, RGCIRC, said BMT requires seamless coordination across multiple disciplines, and platforms like the conclave help healthcare professionals share experiences and advance transplant care standards.
A key highlight was the panel discussion “Unique Complexities in BMTU: Tracking Emotional, Clinical and Operational Challenges,” moderated by Col Madhumita Dhall, Director of Nursing, RGCIRC, with experts from hemato-oncology, microbiology, infection control and BMT nursing. Dhall said BMT nursing demands technical competence, discipline, empathy and constant vigilance, with nurses often remaining closest to patients throughout the transplant journey.
