Delhi Leads India's Thalassemia Prevention Drive

In light of World Thalassemia Day, medical professionals and healthcare advocates are calling for compulsory first-trimester Thalassemia screenings to be integrated into antenatal care. They argue that Thalassemia major, a prevalent inherited blood disorder in India, can be entirely prevented with timely testing.

The financial burden of treating Thalassemia major is significant, with potential costs reaching Rs 4 to 5 lakh per child annually. However, a simple screening test priced at just Rs 150 could prevent the disorder if conducted early. This has prompted experts to advocate for widespread screening, particularly in Delhi, where institutional delivery rates are high.

Efforts to make Thalassemia screenings standard in antenatal care have strong support from key figures like Dr. Anupam Sachdeva and Shobha Tuli. They urge that India should follow the example set by countries like Iran, implementing mandatory screenings to significantly reduce Thalassemia major births nationwide.

(With inputs from agencies.)