All pregnant women to be screened for thalassemia in Hry: Vij

In Haryana, all pregnant women attending government health institutions and blood relations of thalassaemia patients would be screened free of cost for checking thalassaemia traits, Health Minister Anil Vij said here today.
Vij said that about Rs 2 crore have been sanctioned for implementation of this programme under the National Health Mission and training has also been imparted to pathologists and laboratory assistants.
As many as 812 thalassaemia patients are registered in Haryana. Therefore, screening of about 8,000 relatives of all registered patients and all pregnant women in the state would be carried out, he said.
The minister said that under the programme, the blood samples of pregnant women would be screened at nearby primary health centres, community health centres or hospitals.

If the reports are found to be suspect, these would be sent to PGIMS, Rohtak for confirmation, he added.
He said that besides providing free transport facility, the state government provides blood units free of cost to the thalassaemia patients.
The state government also provides free education up to Class X to children suffering from thalassaemia. The medicine being used for treatment of thalassaemia has been included in the Essential Drug List of Health Department and is being given free of cost in all government hospitals, he added.