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 Ramaiah Memorial Hospital (RMH) has been awarded accreditation by the Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy (FACT), one of the world’s most rigorous authorities for quality and safety in bone marrow transplantation and cellular therapy.
With this recognition, RMH becomes one of the two hospitals in India to have FACT accreditation and the only hospital in India to hold both FACT and Joint Commission International (JCI) accreditations. FACT-accredited centres remain rare in India. RMH is currently the only such centre in Bengaluru.
FACT accreditation confirms compliance with internationally recognized FACT–JACIE standards, the global gold standard in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Unlike general hospital accreditations that assess infrastructure and staffing, FACT evaluates the entire transplant ecosystem including donor safety, stem cell processing, clinical protocols, long-term follow-up, outcome reporting, and continuous quality improvement.
Dr. M. R. Jayaram, chairman, Gokula Education Foundation (Medical), said, “FACT accreditation reflects our commitment to governance-driven, patient-centric care and measurable clinical outcomes. It validates the discipline and systems required to meet global benchmarks. This achievement ensures that patients in India receive care aligned with the world’s best.”
Dr. Phyllis Warkentin, chief medical officer, FACT, said, “We are pleased that Ramaiah Memorial Hospital has met the Foundation’s requirements and has been granted accreditation for its Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Programme.”
India faces a significant and growing burden of blood cancers and severe blood disorders. A diagnosis occurs every five minutes, with more than 120,000 new cases reported annually and approximately 70,000 deaths each year, according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer GLOBOCAN 2022 report. The country also carries the world’s highest burden of thalassemia, for which bone marrow transplantation remains the only established curative treatment. As transplant volumes increase, ensuring consistent quality and long-term outcomes has become a critical public health priority.
Dr. Nagendra Swamy SC, chief executive, Ramaiah Memorial Hospital & Healthcare Services, GEF (Medical), said, “India’s growing cancer and blood disease burden demands more than expanding transplant capacity — it demands proven outcomes. FACT accreditation demonstrates that quality, safety, and accountability are embedded into every step of our transplant programme.”
Bengaluru is a major referral hub for complex blood disorders across Karnataka and neighbouring states. At RMH, nearly 1,000 patients with blood disorders are evaluated each year, with about 100 clinically eligible for transplantation. However, only 30–40 undergo transplant annually due to donor availability, logistics, and safety concerns.
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