Help us in preventing Thalassemia

5 crore Indians are Thalassemia carriers & around 10,000-12,000 new Thalassemics are born every year in our country. Survival of a Thalassemia Major depends upon life-long repeated blood transfusion every 2-3 weeks & daily costly iron chelating drugs. Cost of the treatment is Rs.50,000- Rs.2,00,000 per annum. This disease is transmitted only through parents to children,if husband and wife are Thalassemia carrier, then each pregnancy there is 25% chance of having a Thalassemia Major child. The disease can be prevented by Thalassemia carrier screening before marriage/conception followed by antenatal diagnosis if both partners are carriers. By saving the birth of 1 Thalassemia Major child we can save upto 1500 units of blood & million of dollors to make him/her survive upto 50yrs,(which is a normal life span of Thalassemia Major these days).

NTWS will approach Colleges & Corporates for organising Thalassemia awareness and Screening camps alongwith Blood donation camps. We will approach the Principals, NSS's and the Student Union to fix up a date for a lecture on Thalassemia, asking them to spread the message among all students and Teachers, through posters, e-mails and messages. On the designated date a Doctor/Expert will give a lecture on problems of Thalassemia, its prevention, need & benifits of Blood donation.Similarly for Corporates we will contact the Human Resources Dept. to take actions as above. The Govt. Blood Bank Team will come to collect the blood and issue it free of cost to the Thalassemics and other needy patients. Blood Donors who wish to be tested for Thalassemia screening will be offered free screening under this project. Reports will be delivered within a week.

1 out of every 18 in Delhi/NCR is a Thalassemia carrier, so there is a high probability of a Thalassemia Carrier marrying a carrier with high risk of producing a Thalassemia Major child. By saving the birth of 1 Thalassemia Major child we can save upto 1500 units of blood.