Minister of Health Dr. Abdulla Khaleel has reaffirmed the government's unwavering commitment to control Thalassemia. The remarks were made by the minister on a social media post, commemorating the International Thalassemia Day.
On the post, Minister Dr. Khaleel reiterated the government's overarching target of ensuring the provision of quality treatment to all Thalassemia patients equally. The minister further underscored the unwavering commitment of the administration to safeguard the society from the disease. As such, decisions have been made to establish a Thalassemia Hospital in Hulhumale Phase II, with an area of 71,000 acres.
Thalassemia is an inherited, genetic blood disorder caused when the body doesn't make enough hemoglobin. A total of 914 individuals in the country has been registered as Thalassemia patients, according to the annual report of Maldives Blood Servicing for the year 2023. The majority of the patients are children diagnosed with Beta Thalassemia Major. As such, the total number of children registered and diagnosed with this type of Thalassemia is 762.
Alleviating the suffering of Thalassemia patients and their family is a prioritised task of President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu. Aiming to achieve this goal, the government has initiated a nation-wide campaign of screening school students for Thalassemia in February 2024. This campaign serves as an awareness campaign, aiming to reduce the birth rate of children with Thalassemia.