Immigration and screening programs for hemoglobinopathies in Italy, Spain and Turkey Immigration and screening programs for hemoglobinopathies

Main Article Content

Duran Canatan
Joan Lluis Vives Corrons
Giorgio Piacentini
Fatih Kara
Bekir Keskinkılıç
Başak Tezel
Aslıhan Külekçi Uğur
Meliha Babayiğit
Elena Krishnevskaya
Giuseppe Millimaggi
Ozlem Erinekçi
Zekiye Özdemir
Vincenzo De Sanctis

Keywords

Hemoglobinopathies, migrants, refugees, Turkey, Spain, Italy, Equality Plus Project

Abstract

Sickle cell disease (SCD) and thalassemias are the most common monogenic diseases in the world. The number of migrants and refugees in Europe and Turkey, in the past decade, has increased dramatically due to war, violence or prosecutions in their homeland. Prevention and management of haemoglobin disorders is well established and managed in countries where these conditions were traditionally endemic or in countries that have a longstanding tradition of receiving migrants. Therefore, preventive and diagnostic programmes regarding hemoglobinopathies in immigrant populations have been implemented. The purpose of this paper it to report a summary of the experience gained in Italy, Spain and Turkey in migrants, asylum seekers and refugees.

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