Thalassemia, sickle cell anaemia rates alarmingly high among UP’s Tharu Tribes, reveals study
Tharu tribals face higher rates of thalassemia (22-24%) and sickle cell anaemia (60%) than the general population, prompting a medical camp for 2 lakh people.
The prevalence of thalassemia and sickle cell anaemia—both inherited blood disorders affecting haemoglobin—is significantly higher among Tharu tribals on the Indo-Nepal border compared to the general population, said Dr MLB Bhatt, director of Kalyan Singh Super Speciality Cancer Institute, on Wednesday in Lucknow.
Thalassemia alone is estimated to be nearly eight times more common in the Tharu community. While the incidence of thalassemia in the general Indian population is about 2-3%, it is reported to be significantly higher—an estimated 22-24%—among Tharu tribal communities in Uttar Pradesh, Dr Bhatt added.
“Since testing for this disorder (thalassemia) is expensive and complex, we took a sample size of 1,000 patients showing symptoms and found the incidence among them to be 22-24%. And while sickle cell anaemia occurs in up to 40% of the population in other tribal areas, its incidence among tribals on the Indo-Nepal border is estimated to be around 60%,” informed Dr Bhatt. He further elaborated that the higher incidence is found in women, which is doubly dangerous as the risk of genetic inheritance of the disorder is higher for their children.
Dr Bhatt shared these findings while interacting with media persons at a press conference for the fifth Guru Gorakhnath free medical camp, set to commence on Thursday for Tharu tribals residing along the Indo-Nepal border in UP. This year, the medical camp will visit Lakhimpur Kheri, Shravasti, Maharajganj, Bahraich, Balrampur, and Siddharthnagar, targeting to reach 2 lakh people, including tribals and other residents across 1,200 villages.
This four-day medical camp is organised jointly by the National Medical Organisation (NMO) and the Guru Gorakhnath Seva Trust. It will be flagged off from the Atal Bihari Convention Centre at King George’s Medical University by Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak and Transport Minister Dayashankar Singh. The rural camps, following the village camps on the first two days, will be inaugurated virtually by chief minister Yogi Adityanath.
Dr Bhatt and other doctors addressing the press conference also highlighted that, along with malnutrition and health morbidities common among low-income groups in border areas, changes in diet over generations have contributed to weakened immunity. They noted, “While these tribes used to consume simple, healthy, and natural diets like millet-based foods and rock salt, they now rely on wheat and flour-based diets and processed salt, which is impacting their health over generations.”
While the camp offers various medical services such as checking blood pressure, blood sugar, anaemia, and other common health issues, doctors have found that the incidence of thalassemia and sickle cell anaemia—two rare blood disorders—remains alarmingly high over the four years of this initiative. The NMO doctors further informed that after each year’s camp, a research paper is compiled and published to maintain a traceable record of the health conditions of tribals. “No such comprehensive research conducted at the grassroots level over time exists as of yet,” said Dr Bhatt.
This year, the camp is being organised across 260 locations in these districts and will culminate with district-level rural camps, where the footfall often reaches up to 10,000 to 15,000 patients seeking checkups. Nearly 60 medical colleges are participating in the initiative, with an expected turnout of 900-1,000 doctors and medical students.