The Cypriot Minister of Health, Michael Damianos, has been speaking at the first Regional Summit on Haemoglobin Disorders – Middle East and North Africa Region currently being held in Cyprus.
‘As a result of the extensive, collaborative efforts of the government, patients’ families, treating doctors, and the church, Cyprus managed to successfully address the multifaceted challenges posed by thalassaemia, transforming it from being a medical, social, and economic burden into a manageable condition,’ Damianos said.
Thalassaemia is the name for a group of inherited conditions that affect a substance in the blood called haemoglobin.
Continuing, Damianos said Cyprus was spearheading actions aiming at improving the quality of life of patients, including through the establishment of the first globally National Thalassaemia Committee and the adoption of a National Thalassaemia Strategy, focusing on achieving further progress in the screening, prevention, and management of thalassaemia, including the provision of genetic counselling, prenatal screening, and advanced medical care to affected individuals.
‘I am particularly pleased that the headquarters of the Thalassaemia International Federation are located in Cyprus, as TIF serves as a beacon of hope and a centre for global collaboration in the fight against thalassaemia,’ he concluded.
