World Thalassemia Day - 8 May
▪️ Every year on May 08, 'World Thalassemia Day' is organized all over the world.
▪️ Its primary goal is to raise awareness regarding serious genetic disorders like Thalassemia and the struggle of patients suffering from it.
▪️ The day also honors doctors and other medical personnel dedicated to improving the lives of sufferers and scientists working towards the eradication of the disease.
▪️ The theme of World Thalassemia Day 2023 is 'Be Aware. Share. Care: Strengthening Education to Bridge the Thalassemia Care Gap'.
▪️ World Thalassemia Day was started in the year 1994 by Thalassemia International Federation.
▪️ India has more than one lakh patients suffering from thalassemia, of which 40 lakh are carriers.
▪️ Thalassemia is an autosomal recessive disorder inherited from parents (genetically transmitted).
▪️ This permanent blood disorder causes the patient's red blood cells (RBCs) not to make enough hemoglobin, which can lead to anemia and patients need blood transfusions every two to three weeks to survive.
▪️ The severity of the disease depends on the mutations involved in the gene and their interactions.
