Union Health Secretary Apurva Chandra today stressed on the importance of timely detection and prevention of Thalassemia to tackle the disease. He added that there are almost one lakh Thalassemia patients in the country, with approximately ten thousand new cases reported each year. He emphasized on the urgency for proactive intervention aided by timely detection through screening. The Union Health Secretary was speaking at an event to mark the International Thalassemia Day in New Delhi. Mr Chandra  also advocated for inclusion of compulsory Thalassemia testing in the existing reproductive and child health (RCH) programs under National Health Mission  as a means to curtail the prevalence of the disease. He added that some states have included this in their public health programs and activities and  others  will be urged to include and expand screening and testing for Thalassemia.

International Thalassemia Day serves as a crucial platform to emphasize the importance of disease prevention, raise awareness, sensitize stakeholders, promote early detection and ensure quality care for those affected by this disease. Thalassemia is an inherited blood disorder that causes body to have less haemoglobin than normal.