National Assembly approves mandatory premarital thalassaemia screening in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on Tuesday passed a bill mandating premarital thalassaemia screening for couples in the Islamabad Capital Territory, aiming to curb the spread and impact of the genetic blood disorder in the region.

The Islamabad Capital Territory Compulsory Thalassaemia Screening Act, 2025, was introduced by Sharmila Sahiba Faruqui. The legislation requires that all healthcare centres treating thalassaemia patients ensure blood relatives of affected children undergo screening for the disease. According to the bill, “The blood relatives of thalassaemia patients who are marrying shall be advised and counselled to obtain a premarital blood screening to ensure that they are not carrying the trait.”

Under the new law, antenatal tests will be conducted on pregnant women who are known carriers of the thalassaemia trait, provided their spouses are also carriers and the couple gives their consent. The bill further stipulates that all centres dealing with thalassaemia must allocate 10% of their budgets to awareness and prevention campaigns related to the disorder.

Thalassaemia is a life-threatening genetic condition that affects the body’s ability to produce healthy blood cells. Health experts have long advocated for increased screening and awareness to prevent the transmission of the disorder to future generations.

The passage of this bill marks a significant step in public health policy for the capital, with the potential to reduce the prevalence of thalassaemia through early detection and counselling. The legislation will come into effect once it is signed into law.