Telangana To Be India’s First Thalassemia-Free State

Hyderabad: Health minister Damodar Rajanarsimha on Tuesday called for a united effort to transform Telangana into the country’s first thalassemia-free state as part of the collective efforts of the stakeholders to meet the 2035 Vision.

Addressing the Asian Thalassemia Conclave organised by the Thalassemia and Sickle Cell Society, the minister said conditions such as thalassemia, sickle cell anaemia and haemophilia are not merely medical diagnoses but severe, lifelong challenges that affect entire families and society. The conclave was attended by patients, medical experts, and international delegates among others.

The minister cautioned that the risk of transmitting genetic disorders increases in consanguineous marriages and stressed that prevention through pre-marital screening, genetic counselling and widespread social awareness was the most effective way forward.

Detailing the initiatives taken by the State government, Raja Narasimha said screening of pregnant women had been successfully implemented in Mahabubnagar and Medchal–Malkajgiri districts.

To strengthen patient care, he announced the expansion of the State’s healthcare network. In addition to the existing day-care centres in Adilabad, Nizamabad, Warangal and Khammam, three new centres will be established in Asifabad, Mancherial and Karimnagar.

Highlighting progress in early detection, the minister said over 11 lakh people in Telangana have been screened for sickle cell disease and those diagnosed are receiving free treatment at government hospitals. Advanced life-saving procedures, including bone marrow transplants, are now available at NIMS Hospital, he added.

In a significant welfare measure, the minister assured that the government would take immediate steps to ensure that every patient suffering from thalassemia and sickle cell disease receives a pension.