Pune: An agitated father damaged a television at the Pune Municipal Corporation’s health office on Friday (November 1) after alleging that the municipal doctors failed to inform him about the possibility of his children inheriting the blood disorder Thalassemia.

Both he and his wife have Thalassemia, a genetic condition affecting hemoglobin production.

Health Officer Dr. Nina Borade confirmed that a police complaint has been filed but that the man was released after providing his statement.

The man explained that his daughters, aged six and two, are now both affected by Thalassemia, with his younger daughter in serious condition.

He asserted that the couple was not warned about the potential risk to their children by the doctors at Hadapsar Municipal Hospital, where his wife had her delivery.

According to the father, had they been made aware, they would have been better prepared to address their children’s healthcare needs and manage the disorder’s implications.

Thalassemia is a genetic blood disorder that, in severe cases, requires monthly blood transfusions. The risk of transmission to offspring is significantly higher when both parents are affected.

This case has highlighted concerns over the importance of timely medical counseling for patients with hereditary conditions.

Meanwhile, PMC hospitals are being increasingly preferred for deliveries, attributed to the availability of free childbirth services. While private hospitals charge hefty fees for childbirth, particularly cesarean sections, PMC’s 19 maternity centers and Kamla Nehru Hospital offer these services at no cost, making them accessible to a larger population.