Raising Awareness on Thalassemia
In a continued effort to champion early detection and raise public awareness about genetic blood disorders, Little Stars & She Women and Children’s Hospital is spotlighting the significance of timely intervention and comprehensive care for thalassemia. This inherited blood disorder impacts thousands of children across India. With a mission rooted in saving lives and improving long-term outcomes for young patients, the hospital’s Department of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, and Bone Marrow Transplantation, led by renowned pediatric hematologist Dr. Ramana Dandamudi, is at the forefront of tackling this condition through advanced diagnostics, preventive counseling, and world-class treatment protocols.
As a leading pediatric hospital in Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, Little Stars & She remains deeply committed to combating one of the most common single-gene disorders known to mankind—thalassemia. Affecting the body's ability to produce normal hemoglobin, thalassemia manifests early in infancy with symptoms such as anemia, stunted growth, and enlarged liver and spleen. Without timely diagnosis and treatment, the condition can prove fatal within the first few years of life. According to global health data, approximately 300,000 infants are born each year with major hemoglobinopathies, and India accounts for nearly 10–12,000 of these births. Alarmingly, nearly 3.5% of India’s population—about 35 million individuals—are carriers of the thalassemia trait. When both parents are carriers, there's a 25% risk with each pregnancy that their child will be born with thalassemia major.
“Early detection is the cornerstone in the fight against thalassemia,” states Dr. Ramana Dandamudi, MBBS, DCH, MRCPI (Ireland), and Fellowship-trained in Pediatric Hematology & Oncology in the UK. “We have come a long way in terms of care—thalassemia is no longer a death sentence. With periodic blood transfusions, chelation therapy, and now bone marrow transplantation, we can ensure that affected children live full, productive lives. But prevention remains key, and that begins with awareness and genetic counseling.”
At Little Stars & She, a comprehensive care model has been established to support thalassemia patients from diagnosis to treatment. Children diagnosed with thalassemia major typically require packed red blood cell transfusions every 3 to 4 weeks to maintain healthy hemoglobin levels. In addition to transfusions, patients undergo regular medical checkups, including thyroid function tests, liver function tests, blood sugar monitoring, cardiac evaluations, and screenings for Hepatitis B, C, and HIV. These interventions not only help in prolonging life but also enhance the quality of life for pediatric patients.
A significant breakthrough in the journey toward disease prevention lies in antenatal diagnosis. “We can now perform prenatal testing through ultrasound-guided chorionic villus sampling (CVS) as early as 9 to 11 weeks into pregnancy,” explains Dr Dandamudi. “This allows us to detect if a fetus is affected and offer families informed choices. Population screening, identifying carriers, providing genetic counseling, and conducting antenatal diagnosis are crucial public health strategies that can help eliminate the birth of children with thalassemia.”
The hospital’s public health outreach also plays a crucial role. Under the leadership of Dr. Dandamudi, Little Stars & She collaborates with national health initiatives and partners with advocacy groups to educate communities about carrier status and reproductive options. These initiatives emphasise the importance of premarital and prenatal testing, especially in regions with high carrier frequencies.
With over 30 years of clinical expertise, Dr. Ramana Dandamudi has been a pioneering force in pediatric hematology and oncology in India. His vision brought dedicated thalassemia and pediatric oncology services to united Andhra Pradesh in 1995 and continues to transform lives through evidence-based, compassionate care. His contributions have not only elevated clinical standards but have also positioned Little Stars & She as a referral center for complex pediatric hematologic disorders across the region.
As thalassemia awareness gains momentum, the hospital reiterates its unwavering commitment to advancing pediatric care through early diagnosis, expert-led treatment, and robust preventive strategies. For families seeking a compassionate and comprehensive care environment, Little Stars & She Women and Children’s Hospital offers the assurance of excellence, backed by decades of medical leadership and a strong vision for a thalassemia-free future.
• Contact Us – Banjara Hills Little Stars & She – Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Ascent Towers, 8-2-596, Road No. 10, beside SBI Bank, Gaffar Khan Colony, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, Telangana, 500034, India
• +91 96666 04444