Bill seeks pre-marriage thalassaemia test in Punjab

LAHORE: A preliminary draft of a bill has been prepared for making the thalassaemia test mandatory before marriage in Punjab.

The Punjab Prevention and Control of Thalassaemia Bill 2024, presented by the Parliamentary Leader of the Paksiatn People’s Party in the Punjab Assembly, Ali Haider Gilani, as a private member’s bill, has been sent to the Department of Specialized Healthcare by the Law Department for comments. It will be discussed in the special committee and after the approval of the Punjab Assembly, the law will come into effect. According to the draft of The Punjab Prevention and Control of Thalassaemia Bill 2024 received by “Jang”, the Punjab government will devise an effective system and introduce such a system in which people of Punjab will not only be provided with genetic counseling but also facilities for diagnosis of thalassaemia.

The Punjab government will ensure that the process of diagnosis of thalassaemia is made easy for those suffering from it. Healthcare facilities treating thalassaemia patients will ensure that all blood relatives of children with thalassaemia are also screened. All the NGOs working on thalassaemia will ensure that 10% of their income will be spent on thalassaemia diagnosis. According to the draft bill, all those who are capable of bearing children will be required to get tested for thalassaemia and for this they would have to undergo a simple test called Hemoglobin Electrophoresis test. If any government, semi-government or private institution or health facility neglects to screen any person for thalassaemia, the penalty shall be Rs100,000.

If any medical practitioner or healthcare facility conducts thalassaemia screening of a person without their consent, it will be an offense punishable under Section 337E of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) 1860.