Saurashtra Patel Seva Samaj takes up Unique Thalassemia Prevention Strategy in Surat

Surat :  The Saurashtra Patel Seva Samaj has launched a unique initiative to address the huge health concern of thalassemia in Gujarat and India. For the first time, the organisation has demanded that all couples attending the 65th mass marriage ceremony on February 25, 2024, undergo thalassemia testing. This proactive measure is intended to guarantee that couples do not have thalassemia major or thalassemia minor.

Anticipating the participation of approximately 151 couples at the upcoming mass marriage event in Surat, the Saurashtra Patel Samaj is committed to eradicating the prevalence of thalassemia major within the Saurashtrian Patel community of Gujarat.

Kanji Bhalala, President of Saurashtra Patel Seva Samaj and a prominent figure within the Patidar community in Surat, said, “Thalassemia major is a pressing health concern, not only in Surat and Gujarat but across India. Our initiative is designed to eliminate thalassemia major from our Saurashtrian Patel community in Gujarat. It is now mandatory for both the male and female participants in the mass marriage event to undergo thalassemia tests.”

What is Thalassemia

Thalassemia is a hereditary (passed down from parents to children through genes) blood illness that occurs when the body does not produce enough haemoglobin, a protein that is an essential component of red blood cells. When there is insufficient haemoglobin, the body’s red blood cells do not function effectively and live for shorter periods of time, resulting in fewer healthy red blood cells in the circulation.

Red blood cells transport oxygen to all of the body’s cells. Oxygen is a kind of nourishment that cells need in order to operate. When there aren’t enough healthy red blood cells, there isn’t enough oxygen distributed to the rest of the body’s cells, which may make a person feel weary, weak, or short of breath. This is a condition known as anaemia. Anaemia may be minor or severe in people with thalassemia. Severe anaemia may cause organ damage and death.

Bhalala emphasized the protocol for couples with positive thalassemia reports, stating, “Should both partners test positive for thalassemia, they will not be eligible to participate in the mass marriage event. However, if one partner is a thalassemia minor or major and the other is negative, they will be allowed to partake in the event.”

Speaking from personal experience, Bhalala shared, “I myself am a thalassemia minor. Fortunately, my wife is unaffected, resulting in our children being healthy. Had my wife also been a thalassemia minor, our offspring could have suffered from thalassemia major. Thalassemia is a treatable condition that can be effectively managed through blood transfusions and chelation therapy.”

Bhalala highlighted that a study by the Surat-based Loksamarpan Blood Bank revealed that around 5% of the city’s youth were identified as thalassemia minors.

“The 151 couples participating in the 65th mass marriage will submit their applications, and we have engaged their parents to spread awareness about the importance of thalassemia testing. Additionally, we are promoting the theme ‘Kharcho Ghatado, Bachat Karo’ (reduce expenses, save money), encouraging parents to curtail marriage expenses and instead provide a fixed deposit of Rs 50,000 for their daughters’ future,” Bhalala elaborated.