The Supreme Court bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud on Monday (July 30) ordered that the government policy on treatment of thalassaemia patients in the country should be put up on the relevant department’s website in three weeks, seeking objections and suggestions from the public.

Reepak Kansal, petitioner, had pointed out in his PIL that 50 per cent of such patients die before the age of 20 due to poverty and lack of treatment. The petitioner estimates that there are about four million Indians who are thalassaemia carriers and over 1,00,000 patients who require care and support. The PIL seeks directions from the centre in order to prevent thalassemia in India.

Today the respondent (Union of India) said that the draft report from the experts have been received and the clarifications have been sought. Now the policy has to be brought in the public domain and once that is done, a national policy will be in existence.

The court asked for a comprehensive report from the government by August 13, when it is listed again.

–       India Legal Bureau