Health department offered help in training staff free of charge

Deploring that prevention and treatment of genetic blood disorders is not on the Sindh government’s agenda, an NGO working for Thalessemia eradication offered the health department train its doctors, paramedics and nurses screening Thalassaemia minors.

Effective testing could lead to avoidance of marriages between Thalassaemia gene careers and keep the number of patients from increasing.

At a news conference held on Wednesday in line with the World Thalassaemia Day – annually observed on May 8 - renowned haematologist and general secretary Omair Sana Foundation Dr Saqib Ansari announced that the organisation was willing to train the staff of hospitals and health units free of cost in the province

“No sophisticated equipment or machinery is needed to screen Thalassaemia minor patients and its training can be acquired within 15 days,” he added.

Accompanied by Dr Zeeshan Ansari and Obaid Hashmi, Dr Ansari said several Thalassemic children were dying in the country due to a lack of blood transfusion on a daily basis. He said the people in Pakistan were not in the habit of donating blood and added that only option left for Pakistan to save its children from the blood disorder is prevention through screening.

The OSF general secretary urged the government to mention a citizen’s Thalassaemia status on the marriage certificate as well as on the computerized ID cards. He added that the entire population should be screened for Thalassaemia minor so that inter-marriages could be avoided. 

Making use of the occasion, Dr Ansari urged all stakeholders of the society to play their role in creating awareness among masses about the disease since it is increasing at an alarming rate in the country.

The haematologist said that as per revised estimates, 15,000 to 20,000 Thalassemic children are born in the country. “Currently at least 100,000 children are suffering from the disease in the country.”

“In my OPD alone, 10 to 12 new Thalassaemia patients come for treatment daily. At this rate I believe we are adding 1,200 to 1,400 new patients to the current figure per year,” he added.

This means that the number of children born with Thalassaemia is much higher than the conservative figure of 5,000 children born in a year in Pakistan, Dr Ansari said.

He claimed that in 15 days even a paramedic in Mithi, Chachro, or any other remote area of the province can screen a person for Thalassaemia minor.

“Around 70 percent of Thalassaemia patients can be screened by two simple tests which include the CBC which only costs Rs300,” he added.

Dr Ansari said the disease could be controlled if the government allocates Rs9 billion for Thalassaemia prevention for two consecutive years. 

As for activities planned for the World Thalassaemia Day, he said the OSF would organise rallies at educational institutions including at universities to educate masses regarding Thalassaemia eradication and prevention.

Also an haematologist and OSF chief operations officer Dr Zeeshan Ansari said instead of establishing Thalassaemia centers in Sindh, the provincial government should concentrate on effective screening methods and awareness of the dreaded disease since it can be wiped out with due attention.

OSF joint secretary, Obaid Hashmi, also called for creating awareness about the blood disorder and hoped that print and electronic media would educate people about not marrying their Thalassemic children with other Thalassaemia minor patients.

“Thalassaemia status of both the bride and groom should be made mandatory in Pakistan, especially in Sindh.”