Since Lok Nayak hospital and then GTB hospital were declared dedicated COVID hospitals, more than 400 Thalassemia patients registered with these hospitals were facing a lot of hardship financially and physically.

Patients and attendants had to visit other hospitals for blood transfusions and drugs therapies. Sometimes they were referred to other hospitals due to the shortage of blood during this crisis. It is worth mentioning that Thalassemia major patients require repeated blood transfusions every two to four weeks for their survival.

“We had initially made arrangements in other Thalassemia managing hospitals in Delhi but patients were finding a lot of difficulties in travelling long distances from one to another hospital. They were also finding problems in arranging blood. So, the Delhi government issued instructions to shift GTB hospital Thalassemia branch to Delhi State cancer Institute and Lok nayak hospital Thalassemia  branch to GB Pant hospital,” said Dr SK Arora, Additional Director Health with the Government of Delhi.

“Now we have started services from Delhi State Cancer Institute for GTB hospital Thalassemia patients from Monday and from GB Pant hospital for LNH patients from Tuesday,” added Dr Arora.

He further said that due to blood shortage, patients are requested to bring blood donors also till the present crisis due to COVID-19 is over. We are also requesting all the hospitals to call a small number of donors on a daily basis. For the donations, hospitals can take help of registered NGOs and Rogi Kalyan samiti apart from other community Volunteers.

“We should get our Thalassemia minor test done before marriage so that one Thalassemia minor doesn’t marry another such which is the only Primary Preventive Strategy if we want our country to be free from this major disease, which is practically untreatable,” he added.