Blood-related diseases linked to interfamily marriages

PESHAWAR: The participants of the function here on Sunday said lack of awareness was the main cause of the spread of haemophilia and other blood-related diseases.

The programme was arranged in connection with World Haemophilia Day (April 17) to raise awareness about stemming the spread of the fatal disease.

Frontier Foundation Administrator Dr Fakhar Zaman, Director Project Laiba Fayyaz, Director Media Farooq Mohmand and the parents of children affected by haemophilia attended the function, said a press release. The Frontier Foundation Hematology Services Chairman Sahibzada Muhammad Haleem said interfamily marriages should be stopped to control blood-related diseases.

He said marking the day was meant to support and give courage to the patients suffering from haemophilia disease.

Sahibzada Haleem said that haemophilia patients were being administered very expensive injections at the Frontier Foundation besides providing other facilities free of cost.

He said that the Frontier Foundation would continue to provide better treatment to haemophilia and other blood-related patients. Frontier Foundation Administrator Dr Fakhar Zaman spoke on the occasion and briefed the participants about the haemophilia disease.

He said that the foundation was holding workshops, walks, seminars and conferences but there was no specific programme or movement at the government level to create awareness about blood-related diseases.

Dr Fakhar Zaman said that genetic diseases like thalassemia, haemophilia and other blood-related disorders were spreading fast owing to the lack of awareness among the people.

He said that their organisation was striving hard to control the haemophilia through awareness campaigns and provide treatment facilities to the patients suffering from the blood disorders.

“We must take appropriate steps for curbing haemophilia and other blood-related disorders to save our generation from the crippling diseases,” he said, adding that awareness was key to containing the genetic ailments. In the end, a walk led by Sahibzada Muhammad Haleem was held to raise awareness about haemophilia.