World Thalassemia Day observed

Bengaluru: Narayana Health City, a division of Narayana Health in association with The Thalassemia and Sickle Cell Society of Bengaluru on Monday celebrated World Thalassemia Day at Narayana Health City by conducting a free HLA Screening camp and awareness seminar.

The event was inaugurated and graced by Dr A N Desai – Deputy Director and State Nodal Officer, State Blood Cell and Blood Storage Unit, Directorate of Health and Family Welfare Services, Arogya Soudha, Bengaluru, Dr. Sunil Bhat, Director and Clinical Lead, Pediatrics Haematology, Oncology and Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Narayana Health City, Bengaluru, Gagandeep Singh Chandok – President and other Members from The Thalassemia and Sickle Cell Society of Bangalore.

The camp offered free HLA (Human Leukocyte Antigen) screening test and Blood Investigation for patients. More than 100 patients were screened at the free check-up camp.

Elaborating about the condition Dr Sunil Bhat, Director and Clinical Lead, PediatricHematology, Oncology and Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Narayana Health said, "On an average, each year over 10,000 children are born with thalassemia and around 3-4% of people are carriers among the population. But unfortunately, it is inadequately addressed. Through this awareness seminar and free screening camp, we wanted to create better awareness about the condition and guide those suffering from it on how to manage and treat the condition."

"Thalassemia is caused by variant or missing genes that affect how the body makes hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. People with thalassemia make less hemoglobin and have fewer circulating red blood cells than normal, which results in anemia requiring lifelong blood transfusions. Thalassemia can be prevented by undergoing certain tests on individuals before their marriage to ascertain the genes they carry with respect to thalassemia. Only option of cure for this condition is bone marrow transplant" added Dr. Sunil Bhat.

The seminar that followed the free HLA screening camp and Blood Investigation and consultations saw more than 10 doctors attending the same. The event also had a Stand-up Comedian entertaining the participants.

The event was held at the Mazumdar Shaw Medical Center at Narayana Health City, Bengaluru. Set up 15 years ago the Haematology, Oncology and Blood and Marrow Transplantation today is a known for its state-of-the-art care for adult and children with Blood Disorders and Cancer. The Centre today evolved as a one-stop solution, which provides Comprehensive Cancer Care. The center offers quaternary care through "site specific" specialists and teams. The department also provides immunotherapy-based treatments for various cancer types. The unit is also equipped with a 18 bedded state-of-the art Bone Marrow Transplant facility. The unit is equipped with HEPA filtration system and en-suite facilities and has done over 1600 plus transplantation till date which is the largest in Karnataka and one of the largest in the country.