ISLAMABAD: Health expert on ‘World thalassaemia’ day stressed the need for undertaking awareness campaigns to reduce the incidence of this genetic blood disorder and called for avoiding cousin marriages as these were a major cause of thalassaemia disease spread in the country.
Talking to the PTV news channel, An expert on Thalassaemia Dr Prof Hassan Abbas Zaheer explained that it is necessary for families with a history of thalassaemia to screen their children before marriage to help control the spread of the disease in Pakistan, where at present the annual 5000 infants born with this disease.
The main objective of celebrating International Thalassaemia Day was to draw the attention of the general public, patient associations, public authorities, and healthcare professionals to promote actions on prevention, management, or treatment of the disease in a patient-centred manner.
He said thalassaemia is a genetic blood disorder and called upon philanthropists to play an active role in providing relief to the patients, adding, “We should stand together as a nation to fight this disease for a healthier future for our country”.
Replying to a question about the control of thalassaemia, he said, it is a difficult task, it can easily be achieved via the assistance of prenatal diagnosis and prevention programmes only.
“No doubt hundred per cent prevention is quite possible. For this, screening the blood of both partners should be ensured so that two thalassaemia minors should not get married”, he mentioned.
“Treatment of thalassaemia is difficult and the cost is very high. Therefore, it is very important to prevent the birth of sick babies as till 2025 the rate of Thalassaemia patients will be increased if exciting laws will not be implemented properly”, he added. He called for reducing the prices of life-saving drugs for thalassaemia patients.