Steady increase in Thalassaemia cases in coming years -Health Authorities

Colombo, May 21 (Daily Mirror) - Between 45 and 60 children are born annually with major thalassemia in Sri Lanka, while health authorities have warned of a growing risk of the hereditary blood disorder increasing steadily in the future despite the comparatively low number of patients currently reported.

Health officials revealed that approximately 2,500 thalassaemia patients have been identified across the country. The information was disclosed during a media briefing held in line with International Thalassaemia Day, observed on May 8.

Director of the Non-Communicable Diseases Unit at the Ministry of Health, Dr. Sriyani Alahapperuma, said preventive measures such as discouraging marriages between thalassaemia carriers and encouraging pre-marital screening remain among the most effective ways to control the spread of the disease.

She noted that special screening programmes are currently being carried out in several high-risk districts including Kurunegala, Anuradhapura, Ragama and Batticaloa. School-based awareness and testing initiatives are also being implemented to improve early detection and public awareness.

Health authorities further stated that screening services are readily available at Government hospitals and that a standard Full Blood Count (FBC) test can help identify suspected thalassaemia carriers.