Frame guidelines on thalassemia treatment: SC to Centre

India is considered to be the Thalassemia capital and around 10,000 kids are born with the deadly disorder every year, the PIL said, adding that 50 per cent of such children die before the age of 20 due to lack of treatment.

Earlier, the Centre had told the apex court that it was not possible for it to issue any advisory to state governments to prioritise care for such patients.

The National Health Mission section and the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had earlier told the court that public health and hospitals were state subjects and it was the primary responsibility of states to provide healthcare facilities to all.

There are about four million Indians who are Thalassemia carriers and over one lakh patients require care and support. Despite this, there is no move to put in place any prevention and control programme at the state as well as the national level, the petition claimed.

With preventive health checks not being the norm in India, people suffering from the disorder are unknowingly passing it on to their children, it said.