In a fresh push to prevent thalassemia and promote early detection, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has launched two bilingual awareness posters encouraging adolescents and pregnant women to undergo timely thalassemia screening.

The posters were unveiled at Kartavya Bhavan in New Delhi by Ms. Aradhana Patnaik, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, in the presence of senior government officials, medical experts, and representatives from Thalassemics India and Jhpiego.

Prepared jointly by Thalassemics India and Jhpiego, the posters are available in both Hindi and English. They aim to spread awareness about the importance of identifying thalassemia carriers at an early stage, helping prevent the birth of children with thalassemia major.

Addressing the gathering, Ms. Aradhana Patnaik said that thalassemia screening is a simple but highly effective public health measure. She stressed that creating awareness and encouraging timely testing can significantly reduce the burden of the inherited blood disorder and help ensure a healthier future for the next generation.

Welcoming the initiative, Mrs. Shobha Tuli, Secretary of Thalassemics India, thanked the Health Ministry for its continued support. She highlighted the need to further strengthen screening, diagnosis, and comprehensive treatment services under the National Health Mission and Ayushman Bharat to improve care for patients across the country.

Sharing the medical perspective, Dr. Manas Kalra, Senior Consultant, Pediatric Blood Cancer and Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT), Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, said that preventing thalassemia major requires close coordination among obstetricians, gynecologists, family physicians, pediatricians, and hematology specialists. He also highlighted the impact of the Thalassemia Bal Sewa Yojana, which provides financial assistance of up to ₹10 lakh through the Coal India CSR Fund for eligible children requiring life-saving stem cell transplants.

The launch event brought together senior officials from the Health Ministry and the National Health Mission, along with leading medical experts and representatives from Thalassemics India and Jhpiego.

The initiative is expected to strengthen awareness across the country, encourage early screening, and improve efforts to prevent thalassemia through timely intervention.