About Thalassemia

Thalassemia is a serious genetic blood disorder. An estimated 40 million Indians are Thalassemia carriers and over 10,000 Thalassemia major patients are born every year. There are two forms of Thalassemia - Major and Minor.

The Thalassemia Minor is an absolutely normal person with no health issues.

Survival of a Thalassemia major depends upon repeated life long blood transfusions and iron chelation.

Why to donate blood ?

There is lack of blood especially in the summer and monsoon seasons.
There are people being paid to donate blood, who with low Hb take pills just before donation and give unwanted blood is donated which adds on to the suffering of the patients.
It is a healthy practice to donate blood at certified places for your own self apart from the higher cause it will serve.

For a Thalassemic major, there is blood transfusion and good management needed throughout his life time. For blood transfusions, depending upon the frequency as per age, there is loss of man hours of the parents and absenteeism at school of the child suffering.

The disease can be prevented by creating awareness, genetic counseling and screening at pre-nuptial or pre-conceptual stage followed by antenatal diagnosis.

Efforts Needed and pending in India

People including corporate need to be sensitized to donate and get themselves screened for their Thalassemia status.
Their should be a mandatory test being a part of the health checkup at the company.
A new chapter for school children on Thalassemia and every 12th passing student to be encouraged by schools for screening