Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute & Research Centre (RGCIRC) organised BMT Conclave 2026, themed “Guarding the Graft: Nursing Care and Infection Control in BMT”, on September 26. The day-long programme brought together specialists, nurses and healthcare professionals to discuss clinical, nursing and infection-control challenges in bone marrow transplantation (BMT).
Focus on Specialised BMT Care
The conclave highlighted the critical role of nurses throughout the transplant journey. Sessions covered BMT unit design, infection prevention, pre-transplant preparation, conditioning therapy, donor management, stem cell collection, post-transplant complications and emerging therapies such as CAR-T cell therapy.
The programme began with “BMT Unit Physical Set-up: Building an Infection-Safe Environment,” chaired by Dr. Narendra Agrawal, Senior Consultant & Unit Head – Hemato Oncology & BMT, RGCIRC. The session emphasised the need for well-designed transplant units, rigorous infection-control measures and trained nursing teams to protect immunocompromised patients.
According to the press release, subsequent sessions addressed BMT pre-work-up, conditioning therapy, nursing responsibilities, peripheral blood stem cell collection and the fundamentals of haematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
Strengthening Nursing and Infection Control
Dr. Narendra Agrawal said that successful BMT depends not only on the transplant procedure but also on meticulous infection control, continuous monitoring and coordinated nursing care. He highlighted the importance of well-trained BMT teams in ensuring patient safety during this vulnerable phase.
The afternoon programme focused on paediatric post-BMT management, complications and nursing interventions, followed by a session on CAR-T cell therapy. These discussions highlighted the need for nursing teams to continuously update their clinical knowledge as transplant and cellular therapies evolve.
Dr. Dinesh Bhurani, Director – Department of Haemato-Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplant, RGCIRC, emphasised multidisciplinary coordination, clinical expertise, communication and patient-centred care in managing complex transplant and cellular therapies.
Addressing Clinical and Emotional Challenges
A key session, “Unique Complexities in BMTU – Tracking Emotional, Clinical and Operational Challenges,” was moderated by Col. Madhumita Dhall, Director of Nursing, RGCIRC. Experts from haemato-oncology, microbiology, infection control and BMT nursing discussed clinical vigilance, infection prevention, emotional support and operational coordination in transplant units.
Col. Madhumita Dhall highlighted the need for technical competence, discipline, empathy and constant vigilance among BMT nurses, who remain closely involved in patient care throughout the intensive transplant journey.
The conclave also featured “BMT – A Lifesaving Journey,” a video-based presentation focusing on the broader patient-care experience.
Advancing BMT Care
Through BMT Conclave 2026, RGCIRC reinforced the importance of specialised nursing education, multidisciplinary collaboration and stringent infection-control practices in BMT. The institute continues to focus on professional training and coordinated care to support safer treatment for patients undergoing complex haematological therapies.