Seminar: Awareness, prevention termed only way to overcome thalassemia

PESHAWAR: Speakers at a seminar on Wednesday urged the government, political parties, religious leaders, media and other stakeholders to play a role in the prevention of the deadly thalassemia disease.

The seminar was arranged at the Thalassemia Centre of Al-Khidmat Hospital to mark International Thalassemia Day —- May 8.Provincial Minister for Health Syed Qasim Ali Shah was the chief guest.

General Secretary of Jamaat-e-Islami Abdul Qasi, provincial president of Al-Khidmat Foundation Khalid Waqas, director of the hospital Dr Iqtidar Roghani and others spoke on the occasion.

The speakers said the costly bone marrow transplant was the sole treatment introduced so far for the deadly disease of thalassemia. Therefore, they said, the only option to deal with the disease was to take maximum preventive measures.

The speakers said several countries, including Italy, Greece, Egypt, Bangladesh and others had overcome the disease by taking preventive measures. They pointed out that these countries were on the top of the list of thalassemia-affected states some 15 to 20 years ago.

It was informed that currently the number of Thalassemia patients in KP was around 20,000 to 25,000, which records an increase of 5000 patients every year.The speakers said during the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal government a law had been introduced to make premarital tests of both spouses compulsory. However, the law could not be properly implemented.

They stressed the need to create awareness among the people against the deadly disease. The participants were informed that some 600 thalassemia patients were registered at the Al-Khidmat Hospital, who were provided blood transfusion and other medication free of cost.