May 8 is observed as World Thalassemia Day, a day dedicated to spreading awareness about the blood disorder and its prevention. Within the scope of raising awareness, it is worth mentioning that there are 5,000 people with thalassemia and approximately 1.5 million carriers of the hereditary disease in Turkey.
Also known as "Mediterranean anemia" due to its frequent occurrence in countries around the Mediterranean, thalassemia cases in Turkey are most frequently reported in the southern province of Antalya. The disease is a blood disorder characterized by an abnormal formation of hemoglobin.
Nurten Saydan, president of the All Pharmacists Employers' Union (TEIS), stated on the occasion of May 8 that thalassemia is the most common preventable hereditary blood disease in the world.
"Thalassemia is passed from generation to generation because it is a genetically transmitted disease. In Turkey, a Mediterranean country, there are approximately 1.5 million thalassemia carriers and around 5,000 thalassemia anemia patients," Saydan explains.
The disease is most common in Antalya, where 13% of the country's cases are concentrated, Saydan noted, explaining that one in every 40-50 people across the country carries genes that can cause thalassemia. In Antalya, Adana and the southeastern Anatolia region, the chances are even greater, with one in every 10 people potentially carrying the genes.
Thalassemia, a genetic blood disease caused by defective genes inherited from parents, manifests itself with symptoms such as severe anemia and consequently extreme weakness, fatigue, apathy, paleness, heart palpitations and developmental delays, according to Saydan. Emphasizing that thalassemia patients should be vaccinated against hepatitis A and B, Saydan noted that couples should be screened by undergoing a thalassemia carrier test before marriage.
"Treatment of thalassemia is difficult and the cost is very high. Therefore, it is very important to prevent the birth of sick babies. Taking the necessary protective measures to prevent thalassemia is also supported by the state," she added.
India is considered to be the thalassemia capital of the world with 100,000 to 150,000 patients living in the country. Experts believe that every year over 10,000 children are diagnosed with the disease and in 25% of cases, they are usually children of asymptomatic parents who pass the disease to their children.
Poor families are especially in need of assistance in India. The government provides free blood transfusions and medications in district hospitals in all cities. However, experts argue that the transfusion process is still a hassle in many cities and must be improved.
COVID-19 has also had an impact on people infected with thalassemia due to the shortage of blood and difficulty in accessing health care in India. Experts call for new treatment therapies, which are being widely approved across the world, to reduce patients and the burden on the country's health system.
