Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy has raised concern about the growing number of children affected by Thalassemia in India. Speaking at an event in New Delhi on International Thalassemia Day, he said that nearly 15 lakh children across the country are currently battling this serious genetic disorder.
He urged the public to come together to fight and eliminate Thalassemia, a disease that forces children to undergo regular blood transfusions throughout their lives. “These children and their families suffer not just physically, but also face heavy emotional and financial stress,” he said.
To support such families, the central government, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has introduced the Ayushman Bharat scheme. This program offers free medical treatment to millions of poor and middle-class Indians. Earlier, families had to sell belongings or take loans to afford treatment. Now, this scheme is helping them avoid those burdens.
Coal India, a major public sector company, has also stepped up its support. Over the past 10 years, it has spent more than Rs 6,000 crore under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts to help communities, especially in remote mining areas. One of their key initiatives is the Thalassemia Bal Seva Yojana, which provides care for children with this illness.
Kishan Reddy shared that Coal India has already funded over 700 successful bone marrow transplants, offering each patient up to Rs 10 lakh in financial aid. Initially, these services were available in just four hospitals. Today, treatment is being provided in 17 hospitals across India, and the goal is to have at least one such hospital in every state.
These hospitals are equipped to treat both Thalassemia and aplastic anaemia. To spread awareness, Coal India has also launched a dedicated online portal aimed at educating people in rural areas about the disease and available treatments.
Reddy highlighted another initiative — the District Mineral Fund, which is focused on building health infrastructure in mining regions. So far, the government has invested Rs 1 lakh crore to improve facilities in villages and small towns.
He concluded by stressing the need for a united campaign to make India free of Thalassemia, similar to the country’s effort to eliminate tuberculosis through the TB Mukt Bharat movement. He emphasized that prevention through awareness is just as important as treatment. “With joint effort and strong commitment, we can defeat this disease,” he said.
