International Thalassaemia Day 2021

The International Thalassaemia Day (ITD) is marked annually on 8 May and it is devoted to raising awareness amongst the general public and decision-makers about thalassaemia, and helping the global thalassaemia community to connect and call for changes towards the improvement of patients lives and well-being.

The thalassaemia syndromes are inherited blood disorders that affect the production of the normal adult haemoglobin component of red blood cells. Beta thalassaemia is the most frequent and severe form of the disease, leading to the excessive destruction of red blood cells and thus severe chronic haemolytic anaemia.

Affected patients require lifelong regular blood transfusions from early childhood, combined with iron chelation therapy to prevent complications due to iron overload, such as cardiac morbidity, liver disease, cancer and endocrine dysfunction. To effectively manage the complications of the disease, consequent to disease pathology and treatment, the provision of multidisciplinary care is mandatory.

Objectives

The objectives of the International Thalassaemia Day is to:

• draw the attention of general public, patient associations, public authorities,
  healthcare professionals, and industry representatives,
• fuel discussions and promote action on a particular theme
  related to the prevention, management or treatment of the disease
  in a patient-centred manner.

Theme

The 2021 theme ‘Addressing Health Inequalities Across the Global Thalassaemia Community’ was carefully selected to spotlight the many and multifaceted unmet needs of patients with thalassaemia which, coupled with the tragic COVID-19 pandemic consequences, have further exacerbated health inequalities that afflict the global thalassaemia community.

Source of info: https://thalassaemia.org