International Thalassemia Day is being observed today across the globe. The day aims to raise public awareness on the prevention of Thalassemia and to highlight the importance of clinical care for its patients in all countries. Our correspondent reports that several functions are being organised across the world to mark the day. Thalassemia is an inherited blood disorder in which the affected children are unable to maintain Haemoglobin in the normal range. Their bone marrow cannot form sufficient red cells and survival of these cells is also reduced. The genes for the disorder are passed on by parents to their children. In India it is estimated that about 3.4 percent of the total population is suffering from the disease. Every year 7 to 10 thousand children are born with Major Thalassemia in the country. Therefore, awareness is the only tool to battle this disease.