Thane: Maharashtra Health Minister Dr Deepak Sawant here said the state government has taken the issue of Thalassemia seriously and will continue to put all possible measures to contain the disease.
A delegation led Thane MLA Sanjay Kelkar met Sawant yesterday and handed over a memorandum to him wherein they urged the government to make Maharashtra a Thalassemia-free state.
Sawant on the occasion assured the delegation that the government was taking all possible measures, including bringing a bill in this regard, to tackle the disease.
The minister was informed that in the country there were around 3 lakh positive patients in the country and every year around 10,000 new children suffer from the disease.
In the memorandum, the delegates also urged that it should be made compulsory for youth to undergo test for Thalassemia before marriage, while the government should also look into the possibility of making the test compulsory in schools.
Former corporator of TMC Thadaram Tolani and health rights activists were also a part of the delegation.
