World Thalassaemia Day 2023: Celebrated on the 8th of May, the International Thalassaemia Day is devoted to raising awareness among the general public and decision makers about thalassaemia, promoting and strengthening the lifelong and difficult struggle of patients against this severe blood disease, and commemorating all the people who are no longer with us, while renewing our promise to keep fighting until the final cure for thalassaemia is found.
Every year since 1994, the Thalassaemia International Federation (TIF) has been organising many diverse activities for the International Thalassaemia Day, with the objective to draw the attention of general public, patient associations, public authorities, healthcare professionals, and industry representatives, to fuel discussions and promote actions on a particular theme related to the prevention, management or treatment of the disease in a patient-centered manner.
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What is Thalassaemia: Know More
Thalassaemia is a potentially life-threatening yet preventable genetic haemoglobin disorder that constitutes the world’s most commonly inherited haemolytic anaemia. The disease is an inherited one and the treatment differs from person to person. A person suffering from thalassaemia disease will have a few red blood cells and very little haemoglobin. It is an autosomal recessive blood disorder which gets inherited from parents to the children through genes. This disorder causes weakening and destruction of the red blood cells that affect the formation of heamoglobin in the body. This can make life very difficult, as it usually requires multiple blood transfusions. Some people with the disease need a blood transfusion every two weeks.
According to the latest statistics, around 280 million people throughout the world have thalassaemia and among them about 439,000 have a severe form of the disease. It is highly prevalent in malaria-endemic or previously endemic parts of the world, including the Southern Mediterranean, Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Africa, but through the years and for some time now it has become a global public health concern, as a consequence of heavy population movements and increasing migration flows across the world.
About 80% of patients with thalassaemia live in low and middle income countries and hence struggle to cope with an increasing burden of the disorder year on year. In the majority of countries, patients with the most severe type, namely β-thalassaemia, do not reach or surpass the age of 20-25 years. This is due to belated diagnosis of their condition, which could have been prevented if they had knowledge, experience and best practices regarding the effective prevention, control and management of the disease.
Types of Thalassaemia
There are two main types of Thalassaemia:
Alpha Thalassaemia – happens when your quality identified with the alpha globin protein (a sub unit of hemoglobin) is missing or transformed.
Beta Thalassaemia – happens when quality imperfections influence the creation of the beta globin protein, which is likewise a sub unit of hemoglobin.
How to diagnose Thalassaemia?
Thalassemia is diagnosed through blood tests which include doing a complete blood count (CBC) and special hemoglobin tests. Through a sample of blood, CBC measures the amount of hemoglobin and the different kind of blood cells, such as red blood cells.
Hemoglobin tests measure the types of hemoglobin in blood.
Moderate and acute thalassaemia is usually diagnosed in childhood. This is because signs and symptoms, such as acute Anemia usually occur at an early age of 2 years. People who have mild form of thalassemia may get diagnosed after a routine blood test, as it will detect if they have anemia.
What are the Symptoms of Thalassaemia?
Some of the symptoms are mentioned below:
- Drowsiness and Fatigue
- Chest torment
- Shortness of breath
- Delayed development
- Headaches
- Jaundice and fair skin
- Dizziness and faintness
World Thalassaemia Day History
Panos Englezos, the president and founder of Thalassaemia International Federation (TIF), established International Thalassaemia Day in 1994 in memory of his son George, who lost his life to thalassaemia.
Objective of World Thalassaemia Day
The following are the objectives of World Thalassaemia Day:
- To raise awareness about the disease, its symptoms and ways to live with it
- To raise awareness about the importance of vaccination for children’s health, society and the whole world.
- If a person is suffering from thalassaemia, to raise awareness that before marriage it is important to consult a doctor.
- Redress misconceptions about vaccinations.
- Improve early thalassaemia detection and control
- Challenge the stigma and discrimination, caused by lack of understanding of the condition
So, this day is dedicated to the patients suffering from thalassaemia disease and provides them a special chance to live like a normal person and also to prevent the spread of the disease in the society, state, community, country etc.
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Significance of World Thalassaemia Day 2023
The primary objective of the day is to improving awareness about thalassaemia by sharing reliable information and knowledge across different languages and cultures, making it accessible to people even in the most remote and underserved areas and communities of the world. Lack of proper knowledge about the disease is affecting the developing countries of the world, where more than 80% of patients with thalassaemia are born and live! It is our duty to provide them access to knowledge and resources which will help them safeguard and manage their own health.
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World Thalassaemia Day 2023: Theme
The theme for the International Day oof Thalassaemia 2023 is not disclosed.
The theme for the International Thalassaemia Day (ITD) 2022 is “Be Aware. Share. Care: Working with the global community as one to improve thalassaemia knowledge.’’ This year the aim is to to recognize and celebrate the power of knowledge. The objective of the theme is to call all supporters to promote awareness about thalassaemia and its global impact and to share essential information and knowledge to to support the best possible health, social and other care of patients with this disease. It seeks to inspire every individual to contribute to the fight against thalassaemia and also serves as a powerful reminder that everyone has a substantial role to play and a responsibility to act.
How to observe World Thalassaemia Day?
Every year the Thalassaemia International Federation (TIF) comes up with various activities that spread awareness for thalassaemia. A few exercises and occasions are sorted out in open spots like schools, universities, instructive establishments to mindful individuals about the infection, its manifestations and preventive measures. Likewise, patients and their relatives are urged to participate in the occasion to pick up information about the infection.
On this day, let us pledge to go all out to encourage those who are suffering with this disorder and provide them with improved access to educational resources and to help to change attitudes towards carriers and patients living with the disease.
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World Thalassaemia Day Quiz 2023
What are the two major types of thalassemia?
a) Alpha and Beta
b) Beta and Gamma
c) Aloha and Gamma
Ans: a) Alpha and Beta
Thalassemia is most often treated with red blood cell transfusions. True of False?
a) True
b) False
Ans: a) True
What ethnic groups are at risk for thalassemia?
a) Italian descent
b) African descent
c) Greek descent
d) All of the above
Ans: d) All of the above
Is there a cure for thalassemia?
a) Yes
b) No
Ans: a) Yes
Is thalassemia contagious?
a) Yes
b) No
Ans: No
Which of the following is not the symptom of Thalassemia disease?
a) Slow growth and Weakness
b) Abdominal cramps
c) Dark Urine
d) Facial bone deformities
Ans: b) Abdominal cramps
Which blood tests detect if a person is a carrier of thalassemia?
a) complete blood count (CBC)
b) A reticulocyte count
c) Prenatal testing
d) All of the above
Ans: d) All of the above
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