RESUMEN
Thalassaemia major is an important health problem in Sulaimani, a large province at Northeastern Iraq, and the need to initiate a preventive program for this potentially fatal disorder is paramount. As a prerequisite to such program this study was to map the province for hemoglobinopathies. A total of 1472 subjects [736 couples] attending Sulaimani premarital Health centre were screened using red cell indices and sickling test. For those who MCV < 80 fI and/or MCH < 27 pg or had a positive sickling test, this was followed by Hemoglobin HPLC and iron studies. Based on above investigations, 61 individuals [4.14%] were found to have beta-thalassaemia minor, 4 [0.27%] sickle cell trait, 2 [0.14%] Hb C trait, and 2 [0.14%] delta beta-thalassaemia minor, and one [0.07%] had Hereditary Hemoglobin F Persistence [HPFH] homozygous state. Moreover, 49 individuals [3.3%] had alpha- thalassaemia, including one with Hb H disease [0.07%]. The study also revealed a consanguinity rate of 24.3% among the screened couples. The high prevalence rate of beta- thalassaemia carrier state and consanguinity, among premarital couples should further strengthen the need for initiating a preventive program for hemoglobinopathies in this region