Establishment of Day Care Centres for Thalassaemia Major children is required for providing comprehensive health care. Children living with Thalassaemia Major are registered with the Day Care Centre after confirmation of the diagnosis. Their transfusions are planned in advance and the date of transfusions communicated to them. This ensures that the required blood units are available and ready, thereby ensuring quicker delivery of the transfusion service. Disruption of school/working hours will thus be minimized. Late afternoon shifts and transfusions on Sundays and Holidays can further minimize this disruption.

Registration with a Day Care Centre also facilitates constant monitoring and follow-up on all aspect of the treatment including iron chelation and other complications. The periodicity of various tests to be carried out can be monitored and executed. Day Care Centres can thus ensure comprehensive health care.

Since every child attached to the Centre is a Thalassaemia Major, sharing of information between parents and children is natural, leading to camaraderie and psychosocial healing. Group activities become possible both for understanding of various aspects of treatment as well as for fun and games.

Advantages of Day Care Centre:

• Certainty of availability of blood units
• Quicker process leading to minimal disruption from school/office
• Transfusions in friendly environment
• Comprehensive monitoring and treatment
• Sharing of information and peer counseling
• Group activities for entertainment
• Formation of Parents’ association