Thalassaemia prevention in Asia: progress, challenges, and future directions
This Series paper reviews thalassaemia prevention across 14 Asian countries with high carrier frequencies, heterogeneous mutations, and unequal health-system capacity. Singapore, Malaysia, the Maldives, and Thailand had the most structured approaches, combining public awareness, carrier screening, genetic counselling, and prenatal diagnosis. Measurable success was clearest in Singapore and to a more limited extent Thailand. Many countries still face fragmented services, weak national coordination, workforce shortages, insufficient epidemiological data, and financial, technological, cultural, and social barriers. This is a regional health-system synthesis, not a comparative policy trial.
Thai researchersSuthat Fucharoen · Kittiphong Paiboonsukwong