Initially thought
to be a disease originating from Mediterranean
regions, migration of populations throughout
Asia and Africa has seen the prevalence of
thalassaemia spread to countries previously
considered low in rates of diagnosed cases (Piel
et al, 2013). Thalassaemia encompasses a group
of autosomal-recessive conditions involving the
abnormal production of red blood cells and
reduced haemoglobin levels (Machin, 2014).