Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar launches Phase-III of Thalassemia Bal Sewa Yojana

Tags: Government Schemes National News

Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare on 8th May launched the third phase of Thalassemia Bal Sewa Yojana (TBSY) of the Health Ministry.

An overview of the news

• She also launched the Thalassemia Bal Sewa Yojana Portal.

• Dr Pawar also released the Standard Treatment Workflow for Sickle Cell Disease on the occasion. This has been developed by ICMR. 

• The Union Minister further highlighted the need to take advantage of various initiatives of the Union Government for treatment of diseases like sickle cell anemia such as the e-Raktkosh portal for blood transfusion requirements.

Phase-III of Thalassemia Bal Sewa Yojana

• The third phase of the program will continue to provide financial assistance towards the package cost of 10 lakh per HSCT, which will be directly transferred from CIL to the institutions performing HSCT.

• The program will benefit underprivileged thalassemia patients and people with aplastic anaemia.

• 10 reputed hospitals across India have been empaneled under the programme.

About Thalassemia

• Thalassemia is an inherited blood disorder that causes the human body to have less haemoglobin than normal. 

• World Thalassemia Day is observed every year on 8 May to spread awareness about this condition.

• Iron deficiency is the most common and can cause extreme tiredness, shortness of breath, weakness and cold hands and feet.

• Iron is a mineral that our body needs for growth, development and making haemoglobin.

• Haemoglobin is a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to all parts of the body.

• Iron is a cofactor for neurotransmitters and is important for the synthesis and metabolism of hormones.