PATH awarded Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation grant to tackle hemoglobinopathies in India

PATH is pleased to announce a new strategic initiative with support from the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation (BMS Foundation), an independent charitable organization, to address the growing burden of hemoglobinopathies in India, with a particular focus on Thalassemia. This program will aim to accelerate progress toward comprehensive and patient-centric care for people living with Thalassemia, a life-threatening inherited blood disorder and among the most pressing threats to pediatric health in India.

India accounts for nearly 25 percent of the global β-thalassemia burden, with 10,000–15,000 children born annually with Thalassemia Major. Persistent gaps in care exacerbate this challenge, as pathways to care remain fragmented and access to early screening, diagnosis, and quality treatment is limited. Evidence indicates that 50–60 percent of individuals living with Thalassemia have hemoglobin levels below 9 g/dL, a clear indicator of suboptimal care.

This partnership arrives at a pivotal moment. With the Government of India’s recent launch of the National Sickle Cell Anemia Elimination Mission (NSCAEM), backed by strong support from the National Health Mission (NHM), there is renewed political will and policy infrastructure to scale integrated interventions. The new initiative from PATH, with support from the BMS Foundation, will align closely with these national and state priorities by working to deliver high-impact, sustainable outcomes.

Through this collaboration, PATH and the BMS Foundation will work with the state governments in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh to address the burden of hemoglobinopathies using integrated approaches with a focus on Thalassemia. This approach centers on:

Strengthening screening and prevention: Focusing on high-prevalence districts and prioritizing key population groups such as pregnant women, newborns, and families with known genetic risk factors.

Capacity-building and training: Equipping frontline health workers to deliver timely, evidence-based, and culturally sensitive care.

Coordinated care systems: Ensuring linkage to management services, including safe blood transfusion services, iron chelation therapy, and bone marrow transplant facilities, where appropriate.

Strengthening the Centre for Competence (CoC): Enhancing the ambit of existing CoCs for Sickle Cell Disease established by the Government of India under NSCAEM, to serve as hubs of excellence for Thalassemia care.

Policy integration and innovation: Supporting alignment of national and state-level actions on integrated Thalassemia management with global guidelines and local realities to inform future efforts to scale up integrated interventions.

By embedding interventions within existing national missions and leveraging private-sector collaboration, the initiative aims to unlock government resources for universal screening and diagnosis, mobilize additional investments to close care and infrastructure gaps, drive policy evolution based on data, field-level learning, and patient outcomes, and institutionalize capacity and systems for long-term sustainability.

“The BMS Foundation is proud to work with PATH on these critical efforts to close gaps in Thalassemia care in India,” said Catharine Grimes, president of the BMS Foundation. “Across our global work to address pediatric blood disorders, we are committed to removing barriers and strengthening sustainable systems of care. By implementing evidence-based strategies tailored to local community needs, we aim to deliver a scalable, lasting impact.”

“This project is expected to directly impact the population across the states of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. The project’s goal is to impact over 1.8 million pregnant women, newborns, and families of affected individuals, who will receive integrated screening services during the project period. Enhanced capacity of health care providers and access to better treatment will help improve the quality of life for all individuals diagnosed with Thalassemia," said Neeraj Jain, Country Director, India, PATH.

About PATH

PATH is a global nonprofit dedicated to achieving health equity. With more than 40 years of experience forging multisector partnerships, and with expertise in science, economics, technology, advocacy, and dozens of other specialties, PATH develops and scales up innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing health challenges.

About the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation

A healthier world is attainable and achievable, but access to healthcare remains unequal. The Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation (BMS Foundation), an independent charitable organization, is dedicated to improving global health, striving to bridge divides by empowering local communities and health systems to create lasting impact. With a vision to help create a world where everyone has the opportunity to achieve their optimal health, the BMS Foundation works to increase access to healthcare and develop grantee relationships in geographies where they are focused, including in Brazil, India, ten countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, and across the United States. For more information, visit bms.com/foundation.