Hyderabad|India|January'2010: Mr.D.Nagender,Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Government of Andhra Pradesh hasformally inaugurated Andhra Pradesh’s first cord blood stem cell bank ‘Cord Care’ here at East Marredpally.With the opening of this facility parents now can bank their baby’s cord blood with Cord Care (A division of PathCare Labs (P) Ltd.,) informed Dr. G.V. Prasad, Managing Director and CEO of PathCare Labs (P) Ltd. It is South India’s second and India’s fifth such facility, he said.

Banking life saving umbilical cord blood of a child will offer a potential resource for treating a growing number of ailments, including cancer, leukemia, blood, and immune disorders. Since 1988, stem cells have been effective in treating more than 80 life-threatening diseases including different types of Cancers, Thalassemia, Blood and Metabolic disorders, Immunodeficiency Ailments and Autoimmune disease.

Cord Care is a division of PathCare Labs, a Hyderabad based Futuristic Diagnostic Service Provider with a state-of-the-art Central Clinical Reference Laboratory at Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh offering full range of speciality diagnostic facilities resulting in a higher degree of clinical excellence and accuracy in reporting. Cord Cares Cord Blood Stem Cell Bank has been set up at PathCare Labs, Hyderabad with the state of the art facilities such as • Fully Automated Stem Cell Processing Section • Testing Laboratory • Cryo-Preservation Centre • IT and Logistics support centre • Power Back-up etc.

Cord Cares Cord Blood Stem Cell Storage facility is designed to meet global norms for processing and cyro-preservation of samples efficiently, aided by the most advanced technology and computerization. The only stem cell bank with national coverage supported by Regional Laboratories and more than 600 Collection Centers spread across the country.

Cord Blood is a Bio-Genetic Insurance against diseases - since these stem cells may be lifesaving to their family. Recognizing the current and future potential many families are seriously considering storing newborn’s cord blood so that they can fall back upon this biological resource should the need arise. Families know that there is only one opportunity - at birth - to collect these genetically unique stem cells and if not taken, the cord blood is simply discarded. ‘Cord Care’ has large scale cryogenic facilities that preserves cord blood at around -196ºC. It takes just 5 to 10 minutes to collect Cord Blood since the cord blood is collected after the baby is born and the umbilical cord has been clamped and cut. It is a very simple and painless process for both mother and child.

Cord Care has a facility to store upto one lakh samples said Dr. G.V. Prasad. The collection, processing and preservation of cord blood is done at a fee of Rs. 75,000 and the samples are stored in cryogenic vaults for a period of 21 years. This is certainly a lifetime investment which can make a difference between life and death.

Reachout's News Bureau
January' 2010