Between 2,000 and 2,500 children in Sri Lanka are currently suffering from Thalassemia, a genetic blood disorder that affects the production of healthy red blood cells, according to the Ministry of Health.
Dr. Samiddhi Samarakoon, Director of the Ministry’s Non-communicable Diseases Unit, revealed that 40 to 50 newborns are diagnosed with Thalassemia in Sri Lanka each year.
Speaking at a press conference to mark World Thalassemia Day, Dr. Samarakoon also stated that approximately 500,000 people in the country are carriers of a faulty gene responsible for the condition.
This year, World Thalassemia Day is being observed under the theme ‘Together for Thalassaemia: Uniting Communities, Prioritizing Patients’.
The day serves as an important global initiative to raise awareness, advocate for patients, and promote coordinated healthcare efforts for those living with the disease.
