Thalassemia prevention: Religious and cultural barriers to premarital screening in Bangladesh

Thalassemia, an inherited condition of hemoglobin, has become a global public health concern due to rapid globalization. It is noted that 23% of the world's population lives in South Asia, a region plagued by hemoglobinopathies. Each year, about 500,000 infants are born with significant hemoglobin abnormalities, with over 90% of these births taking place in developing nations. The number of thalassaemic children in the majority of developing countries is anticipated to increase in the next years as a result of improved management of infectious illnesses and malnutrition. The population of Bangladesh is approximately 165 million, and the country is developing. A staggering 70% of the population lives in remote areas with insufficient resources and little resources for the detection and treatment of hemoglobin problems. Bangladesh belongs in the thalassemia zone, yet there is a paucity of accurate data on the prevalence of thalassemia‐ related sickness in the country. According to conservative estimates, between 6% and 12% of the population has one or more hemoglobinopathies, primarily beta‐thalassemia, and hemoglobin E; the proportion can reach as high as 40%.