Help desk launched at Nadra centre for free blood screening for thalassaemia

The Saylani Welfare International Trust, Sindh Blood Transfusion Authority (SBTA), and National Database & Registration Authority have teamed up to launch a special help desk at the National Database & Registration Authority (Nadra) mega centre on main University Road to provide free blood screening services to detect cases of thalassaemia minor and hepatitis.

The help desk at the Nadra mega centre will also spread mass awareness to motivate people to volunteer for blood screening before marriage to timely detect cases of thalassaemia minor. The free blood screening facility will be available at the help desk not just to the formal visitors to the Nadra mega centre but anyone from the general public could avail this service.

Speaking on the occasion, SBTA Secretary Dr Durenaz Jamal expressed gratitude to the Sindh government, Nadra and Saylani Trust for joining hands to prevent the spread of thalassaemia cases in Pakistan.

She said that up to five per cent of the Pakistani population was the carrier of thalassaemia minor and they needed not to marry a person with a matching problem to prevent the chances that their offspring suffered from thalassaemia major.

She said that parents of such children had to arrange blood on a lifelong basis for the survival of their offspring. She appreciated that Nadra had also given assurance of establishing such help desks at its other public service centres.

NADRA Director General Sindh Ehtesham Shahid said a similar help desk would be established at the Nadra mega centre in Hyderabad. Incharge of Saylani Blood Bank and Thalassaemia Centre Ghulam Sarwar said the Saylani Trust’s staff would be available from 9 am to 5 pm at the new help desk to provide information and collect blood samples for free screening to detect thalassaemia and hepatitis cases.

He expressed gratitude to Nadra for choosing the Saylani Trust as its partner to launch its drive against thalassaemia. He emphasised that laws should be adopted along the lines of legislation carried out in Iran and Saudi Arabia to prevent cases of hereditary blood disorders.