Between 2,000 and 2,500 children in Sri Lanka are currently suffering from Thalassemia, according to the Ministry of Health.

Dr. Samiddhi Samarakoon, Director of the Non-communicable Diseases Unit, stated that 40 to 50 newborns are diagnosed with the condition each year.

Around 500,000 people in the country are carriers of the genetic disorder that affects red blood cell production.

The announcement was made during a press conference marking World Thalassemia Day, observed this year under the theme “Together for Thalassaemia: Uniting Communities, Prioritizing Patients.”