Call for law on pre-marriage blood tests

LAHORE

Adviser to Punjab Chief Minister on Health Khawaja Salman Rafiq has said that legislation regarding pre-marriage blood test of couples is the need of the hour for controlling spread of blood diseases like thalassaemia and haemophilia. 

He said the carriers of minor thalassaemia should not inter-marriage so that this deadly disease could not transfer to their children.

He said this while addressing a seminar on the World Haemophilia Day at Sundas Foundation, according to a handout issued here on Sunday. Sundas Foundation Patron-in-Chief and renowned columnist Mannu Bhai, Sundas Foundation President Yasin Khan, Jamia Ashrafia Administrator Hafiz Asad Ubaid, local PML-N workers and a lot of patient children and their parents attended the seminar. 

The experts informed the participants that haemophilia is a genetic and congenital disease in which the capability of blood coagulation is affected and, due to which, minor injury starts bleeding and some time without any injury internal organs of human body start bleeding which becomes a serious threat to the patient's life. The experts said that it happens due to insufficient production of white cells in the blood. According to a rough estimate, more than 20,000 people are affected by haemophilia in Pakistan and one of the main causes of this disease is lack of awareness about the disease.

Kh Salman Rafiq said that a mass awareness campaign would be helpful to overcome the disease. He lauded the services of Sundas Foundation for prevention and treatment of blood diseases. He said the government was paying special attention to the disease prevention programme, however, the civil society, NGOs and philanthropists should also come forward to play their role in this noble mission.

Kh Salman Rafiq also appreciated the role of media in creating awareness about the prevention of diseases. Mannu Bhai said that serving the ailing humanity is the greatest worship. He also appreciated the efforts and steps taken by Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif for the upgrade of health sector in the province.