A free comprehensive treatment programme for thalassemia patients, the first of its kind in the State, and attached to the Haemophilia Treatment Centre at the Aluva hospital, was inaugurated on Thursday.
Inaugurating the programme, Anwar Sadath, MLA, said that he would take up the case of the thalassemia patients to get them covered on par with haemophilia patients.
All thalassemia patients are eligible to get safe blood transfusions from the NABH-accredited blood bank free of cost. The patients would be provided blood replacement and drugs needed to treat the iron overload.
Most patients need transfusions once in two weeks to keep the haemoglobin levels to lead a relatively normal life. As transfusions lead to iron overload that can damage vital organs such as liver, pancreas and heart. It necessitates costly iron chelation therapy to remove excess iron.
Dr. Neeraj Siddharth, professor of Haematology, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, conducted an awareness class.
