Thalassemia Bal Sewa Yojana
#GS3 #Science #Health #Biotechnology
Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare has launched the second phase of ‘Thalassemia Bal Sewa Yojana’ for the underprivileged Thalassemic patients.
Background
- Launched in 2017, this scheme is a Coal India CSR funded Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) program that aims to provide a one-time cure opportunity for Haemoglobinopathies like Thalassaemia and Sickle Cell Disease for patients who have a matched family donor.
- The CSR initiative was targeted to provide financial assistance to a total of 200 patients by providing a package cost not exceeding Rs. 10 lakhs per HSCT.
About Thalassemia
- Thalassemia is a blood disorder involving lower-than-normal amounts of an oxygen-carrying protein.
- Thalassemia is an inherited blood disorder characterised by less oxygen-carrying protein (haemoglobin) and fewer red blood cells in the body than normal.
- Symptoms include fatigue, weakness, paleness and slow growth.
- Mild forms may not need treatment. Severe forms may require blood transfusions or a donor stem-cell transplant.
About Sickle-Cell Disease
- A group of disorders that cause red blood cells to become misshapen and break down.
- With sickle cell disease, an inherited group of disorders, red blood cells contort into a sickle shape. The cells die early, leaving a shortage of healthy red blood cells (sickle cell anaemia) and can block blood flow causing pain (sickle cell crisis).
- Infections, pain and fatigue are symptoms of sickle cell disease.
- Treatments include medication, blood transfusions and rarely a bone-marrow transplant.
