‘Thalassemia prevention project being extended’

LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Specialized Healthcare & Medical Education Khwaja Salman Rafique presided over a meeting to review the performance and progress of Punjab Thalassemia Prevention Project (PTPP) in the committee room of Fatimah Jinnah Medical University (FJMU), here on Monday.

FJMU VC Professor Khalid Masood Gondal attended the meeting. According to a handout issued here on Monday, Project director, PTBB, Dr Shabnam Bashir briefed the minister about progress of the project and said during its two years five new regional centres and laboratories would be established in Faisalabad, DG Khan, Gujranwala and Sahiwal. She said a comprehensive online programme for the project is being prepared with the help of Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) through which all the network of PTPP, laboratories and other facilities at up to district level would be put online. Dr Shabnam Bashir said PITB is also extending cooperation for establishing registry of the project.

Addressing the meeting, Khwaja Salman Rafique appreciated the efforts and said that it is very encouraging that project is providing facilities for thalassemia prevention in 36 districts. He further said that the scope of PTPP regional centres and laboratories is also being extended from four districts to all nine divisional headquarters which would further enhance and improve quality of facilities for thalassemia prevention in the children. He said that prenatal diagnostic facilities for the thalassemia would also be made available on the doorsteps and people would not have to go far flung districts for this purpose.

Khwaja Salman Rafique was of the view that under the dynamic leadership of Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif both the health departments are endeavouring hard to provide quality health services and prevention from the diseases to people of Punjab and the Punjab Thalassemia Prevention Project is also a milestone in this regard.