Hyderabad: Health Minister Damodar Raja Narasimha on Sunday, January 11, said that Telangana aims to be a Thalassemia-free state by 2035.

Speaking at the Asian Thalassemia Conclave held at Kamala Hospital in Hyderabad, the minister said that no child should be born with preventable diseases, and no family should fall into poverty due to illness

He urged mandatory premarital screening and counselling for pregnant women, along with social awareness, and assured firm steps to prevent the disease.

“Day care centers situated in Adilabad, Nizamabad, Warangal, and Khammam are providing medical services to thalassemia patients. Additional centers will be set up inAsifabad, Mancherial, and Karimnagar districts soon,” he said.

He said that over 11 lakh people in Telangana have successfully undergone sickle cell disease screening, and free treatment is provided to those diagnosed at various government hospitals. “Advanced treatments like bone marrow transplantation are available at NIMS Hospital,” the minister said.

Damodar said that pensions will be provided to all thalassemia and sickle cell patients and urged all medical experts and voluntary organisations to come together to make Telangana the first state in the country without thalassemia patients.