May 8: World Thalassemia Day

Every year, World Thalassemia Day is observed on May 8. It aims to create awareness about Thalassemia and avoid the disease from transmitting to other people. It is also observed to provide better quality of life to people suffering from Thalassemia.

Highlights

The World Thalassemia Day is observed under the theme

Theme: The dawning of a new era for Thalassemia: Time for a global effort to make novel therapies accessible and affordable to patients.

The World Thalassemia Day is being observed since 1994. It is organized by the Thalassemia International Federation.

What is Thalassemia?

Thalassemia is genetic blood disorder that is characterized by abnormal haemoglobin production. There are two major types of Thalassemia namely Alpha Thalassemia and Beta Thalassemia.

Thalassemia in India

India is in the Thalassemia belt of the world. Over 3.7% of the total Thalassemia patients are in India. Of all the states, West Bengal is the most affected state of Thalassemia.

Month: Current Affairs - May, 2020