Padma Shri Awardee Dr Suresh Hanagavadi on Hemophilia Care Gaps, New Therapies, and the Fight for Equal Access
Bengaluru: In January, Dr , founder of the , received an unexpected call informing him that he had been selected for the Padma Shri. The recognition followed more than four decades of sustained work to improve the lives of people living with hemophilia, a genetic disorder in which blood does not clot properly due to missing clotting factors.
Dr Hanagavadi, a native of , is himself a hemophilia patient. He often refers to fellow patients diagnosed in childhood as his “blood brothers.” In an interview, he reflected on his journey, the persistent gaps in care, and recent medical advances that offer new hope.
He said his advocacy was deeply shaped by personal experience. Diagnosed at a young age, he grew up in a time when Karnataka lacked proper laboratories and treatment facilities. Frequent bleeding episodes forced him to miss school, and his childhood was marked by pain and overprotection. A defining moment came when his maternal uncle, also affected by hemophilia, died after a suspected brain bleed went untreated at a district hospital. That loss, he said, pushed him towards medicine and public service so that other families would not suffer due to lack of awareness or care.
Speaking about current needs, Dr Hanagavadi said the immediate priority is improving awareness and clinical training at the district level. Many patients across regions such as Kalyana Karnataka and Malnad remain undiagnosed because nearby hospitals lack diagnostic facilities. In the long term, he stressed the need for systemic change, including assured access to clotting-factor medicines through the public health system, as costs remain unaffordable for most families.
He said children with hemophilia require regular preventive treatment to avoid permanent disability by adolescence. He also highlighted the need for factor-testing laboratories in all government medical colleges so patients do not have to travel long distances to cities like Bengaluru or Mysuru for confirmation.
On medical progress, Dr Hanagavadi noted that treatment options have advanced significantly. Extended half-life clotting factors now reduce the frequency of injections, while recombinant products have improved safety. He said the most important development has been non-factor therapies using monoclonal antibodies, which rebalance clotting and can be administered monthly through subcutaneous injections. These therapies, he said, can reduce bleeding to near zero, making disability largely preventable when treatment begins early.
He emphasised that ensuring uninterrupted education for children with hemophilia is both a medical and social responsibility. Preventing bleeding through regular treatment allows children to attend school consistently, while awareness among teachers, anganwadi workers, and parents helps reduce stigma and dropouts, particularly in rural and semi-urban areas.
Dr Hanagavadi also spoke about the challenges faced by adults living with hemophilia. He said inclusion in education and employment remains limited, despite the lifelong impact of the condition on mobility, finances, and mental well-being. He called for recognition within disability frameworks, workplace support, and access to higher education, counselling, and skill development. With appropriate policies and medical support, he said, people with hemophilia can live independently and contribute meaningfully to society.
Our Thoughts
Dr Suresh Hanagavadi’s Padma Shri recognition highlights not only an individual journey but also a larger public health challenge that remains under-addressed. His account underscores how gaps in diagnosis, treatment access, and awareness continue to affect thousands of families. While medical science has made it possible to prevent disability and ensure a near-normal life for people with hemophilia, the benefits remain unevenly distributed. The real test for policymakers lies in integrating these advances into the public health system so that treatment does not depend on personal means. Bridging this gap would mark a decisive step toward healthcare equity in Karnataka and beyond.