Dr. C. N. Manjunath, MP, to Grace Sankalp India Foundation’s Thal Meet 2026 as Chief Guest
Shri Dr C. N. Manjunath, Hon’ble Member of Parliament from Bangalore Rural, will be the Chief Guest at Thal Meet 2026, a national partners’ conclave organised by Sankalp India Foundation to advance prevention, care and cure for thalassemia and other hemoglobinopathies. As Chief Guest, Dr Manjunath will felicitate dignitaries from leading institutions across India and officially release a series of awareness and educational posters that will be displayed at Sankalp-supported daycare centres, with a strong focus on high-quality clinical care.
In his address to clinicians, program leaders and institutional partners, Dr Manjunath is expected to highlight the urgent public health need to prioritise prevention of hemoglobinopathies through systematic antenatal screening, counselling and early intervention. He has also committed to raising the issue of hemoglobinopathy prevention in relevant policy and parliamentary forums, giving crucial momentum to efforts aimed at making carrier screening and preventive services an integral part of routine maternal and child health programmes in the country.
Hosted at the 4th Floor, Auditorium in Bhagwan Mahaveer Jain Hospital, Vasanth Nagar, Bengaluru, Thal Meet 2026 will bring together representatives from over twenty partner centres that deliver Sankalp’s thalassemia management program, collaborating with cure and prevention programs. The day-long event will combine guided tours of the Sankalp Thalassemia Day Care Centre, Sankalp Blood Centre, child care home, and Bone Marrow Transplant facility with technical sessions, impact stories and structured case discussions, showcasing how disciplined day care practices, robust blood systems, centralised laboratory support and psychosocial care improve outcomes for children and adults living with transfusion-dependent disorders.
A key segment of the event will focus on how strong thalassemia day care centres create the foundation for successful prevention and cure, by ensuring good hemoglobin levels, optimised chelation, consistent monitoring and counselling that prepares families both for long-term management and for potential bone marrow transplant. Dedicated sessions will share updates on Sankalp’s bone marrow transplant work and its expanding prevention initiatives, including how partners can integrate antenatal screening and counselling into district health systems and reach high-risk communities more effectively. A “Partners’ Roadmap and Experience Sharing” segment will enable institutions to reflect on their journeys, discuss operational challenges and co-create strategies to strengthen prevention, from raising community awareness to building referral pathways and ensuring follow-up of identified carrier couples.
By closing the day with shared commitments captured through a symbolic “Tree of Commitment,” Thal Meet 2026 aims to translate the visibility and support brought by Dr Manjunath’s presence into concrete system-level advances in management, prevention, and cure for hemoglobinopathies in India.
About Sankalp India Foundation
Sankalp India Foundation is a national public health non-profit organisation working to reduce the burden of thalassemia and other hemoglobinopathies in India, while strengthening systems for safe and sufficient blood supply. Through an integrated approach spanning care, cure, prevention, research and capacity building, Sankalp works across communities, health systems and policy spaces to create measurable, long-term impact.
Management of Thalassemia and Hemoglobinopathies
Sankalp operates 23 daycare centres across 6 states and 1 union territory, supporting over 2,600 patients every month with regular blood transfusions, iron chelation therapy and essential medicines. These centres follow standardised clinical protocols and quality assurance systems to improve health outcomes and reduce disease-related complications for children and adults living with transfusion-dependent disorders.
Cure through Bone Marrow Transplantation
Sankalp runs two Bone Marrow Transplant units in Bengaluru and Ahmedabad, enabling access to curative treatment for eligible children with thalassemia major. To date, over 850 bone marrow transplants have been successfully completed, offering families a chance at a transfusion-free life that was once out of reach.
Prevention of Hemoglobinopathies
A pioneer in antenatal screening, the Sankalp Program for Prevention of Hemoglobinopathies focuses on preventing the birth of children affected by severe hemoglobinopathies. Through targeted screening and counselling, more than 1,92,000 pregnant women have been screened for carrier status, empowering families with timely information and informed reproductive choices. This way, over 230 affected births have been prevented.
Blood Systems Strengthening
Through the Sankalp Blood Centre and collaborations with blood banks, the Foundation organises voluntary blood donation drives and ensures quality testing and supply. So far, 1,80,509 units of blood have been collected through 2,644 donation drives, including 29,625 units from in-house donations and 560 camps organised directly by the Sankalp Blood Centre.
Laboratories, Research, and Capacity Building
Sankalp Labs enables in-house fetal screening and culturing services, strengthening diagnostic accuracy and early intervention. With SIRO recognition from the Government of India, Sankalp’s work in research is formally aligned with national scientific standards, reinforcing its capacity for evidence generation and innovation in the field of hemoglobinopathies. Through Sankalp Hemoglobinopathy Academy of Learning, the Sankalp Hemoglobinopathy Academy of Learning, the Foundation also invests in structured training and knowledge dissemination to build a skilled workforce and standardise prevention and care. Guided by data, quality, and partnerships, Sankalp India Foundation works towards a future where preventable genetic blood disorders no longer limit lives.
Shri Dr C. N. Manjunath, Hon’ble Member of Parliament from Bangalore Rural, will be the Chief Guest at Thal Meet 2026, a national partners’ conclave organised by Sankalp India Foundation to advance prevention, care and cure for thalassemia and other hemoglobinopathies. As Chief Guest, Dr Manjunath will felicitate dignitaries from leading institutions across India and officially release a series of awareness and educational posters that will be displayed at Sankalp-supported daycare centres, with a strong focus on high-quality clinical care.
In his address to clinicians, program leaders and institutional partners, Dr Manjunath is expected to highlight the urgent public health need to prioritise prevention of hemoglobinopathies through systematic antenatal screening, counselling and early intervention. He has also committed to raising the issue of hemoglobinopathy prevention in relevant policy and parliamentary forums, giving crucial momentum to efforts aimed at making carrier screening and preventive services an integral part of routine maternal and child health programmes in the country.
Hosted at the 4th Floor, Auditorium in Bhagwan Mahaveer Jain Hospital, Vasanth Nagar, Bengaluru, Thal Meet 2026 will bring together representatives from over twenty partner centres that deliver Sankalp’s thalassemia management program, collaborating with cure and prevention programs. The day-long event will combine guided tours of the Sankalp Thalassemia Day Care Centre, Sankalp Blood Centre, child care home, and Bone Marrow Transplant facility with technical sessions, impact stories and structured case discussions, showcasing how disciplined day care practices, robust blood systems, centralised laboratory support and psychosocial care improve outcomes for children and adults living with transfusion-dependent disorders.
A key segment of the event will focus on how strong thalassemia day care centres create the foundation for successful prevention and cure, by ensuring good hemoglobin levels, optimised chelation, consistent monitoring and counselling that prepares families both for long-term management and for potential bone marrow transplant. Dedicated sessions will share updates on Sankalp’s bone marrow transplant work and its expanding prevention initiatives, including how partners can integrate antenatal screening and counselling into district health systems and reach high-risk communities more effectively. A “Partners’ Roadmap and Experience Sharing” segment will enable institutions to reflect on their journeys, discuss operational challenges and co-create strategies to strengthen prevention, from raising community awareness to building referral pathways and ensuring follow-up of identified carrier couples.
By closing the day with shared commitments captured through a symbolic “Tree of Commitment,” Thal Meet 2026 aims to translate the visibility and support brought by Dr Manjunath’s presence into concrete system-level advances in management, prevention, and cure for hemoglobinopathies in India.
About Sankalp India Foundation
Sankalp India Foundation is a national public health non-profit organisation working to reduce the burden of thalassemia and other hemoglobinopathies in India, while strengthening systems for safe and sufficient blood supply. Through an integrated approach spanning care, cure, prevention, research and capacity building, Sankalp works across communities, health systems and policy spaces to create measurable, long-term impact.
Management of Thalassemia and Hemoglobinopathies
Sankalp operates 23 daycare centres across 6 states and 1 union territory, supporting over 2,600 patients every month with regular blood transfusions, iron chelation therapy and essential medicines. These centres follow standardised clinical protocols and quality assurance systems to improve health outcomes and reduce disease-related complications for children and adults living with transfusion-dependent disorders.
Cure through Bone Marrow Transplantation
Sankalp runs two Bone Marrow Transplant units in Bengaluru and Ahmedabad, enabling access to curative treatment for eligible children with thalassemia major. To date, over 850 bone marrow transplants have been successfully completed, offering families a chance at a transfusion-free life that was once out of reach.
Prevention of Hemoglobinopathies
A pioneer in antenatal screening, the Sankalp Program for Prevention of Hemoglobinopathies focuses on preventing the birth of children affected by severe hemoglobinopathies. Through targeted screening and counselling, more than 1,92,000 pregnant women have been screened for carrier status, empowering families with timely information and informed reproductive choices. This way, over 230 affected births have been prevented.
Blood Systems Strengthening
Through the Sankalp Blood Centre and collaborations with blood banks, the Foundation organises voluntary blood donation drives and ensures quality testing and supply. So far, 1,80,509 units of blood have been collected through 2,644 donation drives, including 29,625 units from in-house donations and 560 camps organised directly by the Sankalp Blood Centre.
Laboratories, Research, and Capacity Building
Sankalp Labs enables in-house fetal screening and culturing services, strengthening diagnostic accuracy and early intervention. With SIRO recognition from the Government of India, Sankalp’s work in research is formally aligned with national scientific standards, reinforcing its capacity for evidence generation and innovation in the field of hemoglobinopathies. Through Sankalp Hemoglobinopathy Academy of Learning, the Sankalp Hemoglobinopathy Academy of Learning, the Foundation also invests in structured training and knowledge dissemination to build a skilled workforce and standardise prevention and care. Guided by data, quality, and partnerships, Sankalp India Foundation works towards a future where preventable genetic blood disorders no longer limit lives.
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