New Thalassemia testing kit launched

The health ministry Tuesday launched a new kit for detecting Thalassemia in order to meet the need for affordable and sensitive testing options for affected children.

People with Thalassemia make less haemoglobin and fewer circulating red blood cells than normal, which results in mild or severe anaemia.

The new kit was launched by Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad who expressed satisfaction that the kit simplifies the identification of common mutations leading to the disease.

The kit has been developed by scientists of the National Institute of Immunohaematology and the Indian Council for Medical Research and is now being manufactured domestically.

Since the cost of production of this kit is low it will be cost effective when marketed, Azad said.

It has been estimated that there are 10,000 to 12,000 babies with Thalassemia born each year in India.