Ahead of the Budget, Dr. Chandrakant Agarwal, President, TSCS requests Govt to Consider Inclusion of Thalassemia Issues

31st Jan: "We are immensely thankful to Govt of India & especially Hon’ble Finance Minister for great work done for Sickle Cell disease  in the previous budgets, wherein allocations have been made for its eradication by 2047,  but unfortunately, the bigger evil the most lethal and dreaded disease “Thalassemia”, which is also a genetic blood disorder like sickle cell anemia fails to find any mention in the previous budgets, which is a very grave blunder, which needs to be rectified with immediate effect in the coming budget.  Both, Sickle Cell Anemia and Thalassemia are same type of disease with a little difference where  thalassemia is much more severe while the methodology for eradicating them are the same.  Sickle Cell Anemia and Thalassemia are two sides of the same coin. In Thalassemia, patients survive by periodic  blood transfusion for a life time, which is horror in itself and it can also be eradicated and many nations have eradicated them, by simple HbA2 blood test, which needs to be made mandatory by the Government, for every pregnant women in their first trimester of pregnancy, instead of doing population screening.”

“We are very much positive towards the upcoming Budget as the govt has been considerate with its allocations for conditions such as sickle cell anaemia and unfortunately thalassemia has been left out  in the previous budgets. The most noteworthy one was the allocation of significant budget towards tackling  sicklecell anemia, aiming to eliminate it by 2047, with a focus on universal screening, counseling, and comprehensive management programs. However there is a greater need for Budget 2025-26 to broaden its scope. As we approach the upcoming Union Budget 2025-2026, Thalassemia & Sickle Cell Society urges Hon’ble Finance Minister Smt Nirmala Sitaraman, Finance  - Govt of India to prioritize advancements in medical diagnostics, particularly for genetic blood disorders such as thalassemia and sickle cell. We expect targeted investments in affordable, accessible diagnostic services, as well as enhanced funding for research and healthcare infrastructure. The need for early detection, specialized care, and patient-centered solutions has never been more pressing. We hope the budget reflects a commitment to improving healthcare outcomes and quality of life for individuals affected by these conditions at large.