New Delhi: 5 crores people are Thalassemia carriers in India, with an estimated 10,000 to 12,000 babies born each year with Thalassemia Major. Raising awareness about carrier screening and prevention of thalassemia is the need of the hour. In this context, Hyderabad-based Thalassemia & Sickle Cell Society (TSCS) has participated in the "Thalassemia Conclave: Challenges & Solutions," a national-level event organized by Thalassemics India and Voice of Healthcare in New Delhi. The Thalassemia Conclave 2024 is organized and aimed at tackling the pressing challenges of thalassemia management in India. This event brings together health officials, medical professionals, and NGO leaders to discuss, strategize, and innovate solutions to enhance patient care and work toward better prevention and awareness.
Dr. Chandrakant Agarwal, President - of the Thalassemia & Sickle Cell Society (TSCS) was invited to join a panel discussion at the conclave. During the discussion, Dr. Agarwal provided invaluable insights on several key topics crucial to the management and prevention of thalassemia including:
● Registry Development: The importance of establishing and maintaining a comprehensive registry to track patient data, improve treatment outcomes, and facilitate research.
● Screening & Diagnosis Innovations: Exploring advancements in screening methodologies and diagnostic techniques that enable early detection and better patient outcomes.
● Blood Safety: The need for stringent blood safety measures to ensure that transfusions, a common treatment for thalassemia and sickle cell patients, are safe and effective.
● Awareness Campaigns: Significance of increasing public awareness about thalassemia to promote early detection and informed decision-making.
● Ante-Natal Screening: The role of prenatal screening in identifying at-risk pregnancies, enabling timely intervention and genetic counseling for families.
Speaking after the event Dr. Chandrakanth Agarwal said, “Thalassemia Conclave 2024 is a platform for fruitful discussions on the latest advancements in the prevention and management of thalassemia and what the collaborative efforts aimed at reducing the burden of these genetic blood disorders. The event also highlighted the importance of multi-disciplinary approaches, including improved screening techniques, public awareness, and policy support, to address the needs of affected individuals and their families. With the objective of helping all of our Thalassemia and Sickle Cell Anemia affected children, TSCS has been a well-maintained transfusion center with a high-quality blood center, a modern diagnostic laboratory, and an advanced research center under one roof to support more than 4200+ registered patients for the past 25 years. We aim to continue to work towards the total eradication of thalassemia in the years to come”
Dr. Agarwal’s contributions to the panel discussion were highly appreciated by the attendees, and his suggestions will play a critical role in shaping future healthcare strategies for thalassemia and sickle cell disease management.
