4,361 Thalassemia Patients Registered in India, Including 2,579 Children Under 12: Anupriya Patel
New Delhi : The number of thalassemia patients in India continues to be a matter of concern. According to data recorded on the Sickle Cell Portal, as of July 2025, a total of 4,361 thalassemia patients have been registered in the country, 2,579 of whom are children under the age of 12.
This information was provided by Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Smt. Anupriya Patel, in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today. She stated that a dedicated thalassemia module was integrated into the Sickle Cell Portal in 2023 to enable states across India to register and maintain records of existing thalassemia patients.
Through the national portal, arrangements have been made for regular monitoring, follow-up, and screening, thereby strengthening efforts for the identification and care of thalassemia patients.
The minister also clarified that the primary responsibility for the prevention and management of thalassemia lies with the respective State and Union Territory governments. Under the National Health Mission (NHM), financial and technical support is provided to states for strengthening public healthcare services. This includes the establishment of blood banks, day care centres, provision of medicines, laboratory services, IEC (Information, Education and Communication) activities, and training of human resources.
To support thalassemia patients, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, in collaboration with Coal India Limited (CIL), is implementing the Thalassemia Bal Sewa Yojana (TBSY). Under this scheme, financial assistance of up to ₹10 lakh is provided to eligible patients for bone marrow transplants (BMT), funded through CIL’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) budget. Seventeen empanelled hospitals across the country are offering BMT services under the scheme.
The government aims to raise awareness about genetic disorders like thalassemia, ensure timely diagnosis, and provide access to modern treatment facilities, so that significant progress can be made in the prevention and control of such diseases in the coming years.