PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF HEMOGLOBINOPATHIES

In many developing countries the haemoglobinopathies (thalassaemias an d sickle-cell disorder) are so common that they provide a convenient m odel for working out a genetic approach to control of chronic childhoo d diseases. At present, about 250 million people (4.5% of the world po pulation) carry a potentially pathological haemoglobinopathy gene. Eac h year about 300 000 infants are born with major haemoglobinopathies. Haemoglobinopathy control programmes, based on WHO approaches and reco mmendations, have been established in different countries in all WHO R egions and have been successful in management of the problem. Followin g WHO recommendations the health burden of hereditary anaemias could b e significantly reduced. This article summarizes the presentations and discussions made at a joint WHO/TIF (Thalassaemia International Feder ation) meeting, held in Cyprus in April 1993, and reviews the experien ces of programmes in several countries for the control of haemoglobino pathies in the world.