ISLAMABAD:Health experts on Saturday urged the public to continue donating blood throughout Ramazan to help manage the blood transfusion needs of thalassemia patients.
Air Vice Marshal (Retd) Aftab Hussain, Chief Administrator Sundas Foundation Islamabad, while talking to PTV News on Saturday said that thalassemia patients were dependent on regular blood transfusions to stay alive in addition to expensive therapies and other medical management.
He said thalassemia was a major healthcare challenge placing huge psychological and financial stress on the affected families and putting extra burden on the national healthcare delivery system.
“The only solution to the miseries of the thalassemia patients is a successful bone marrow transplant, which is possible only if the tissue matches”, he added.
A healthy person can donate blood after every two months, he said, adding that healthy people particularly the youngsters have to donate blood on a regular basis three to four times a year.
He also demanded of the government and health sector to ensure sufficient resources and facilities to the quality and effectiveness of blood collection.
Replying to a question, he said that thalassemia was an inherited blood disease where the body makes an abnormal or inadequate amount of hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen.
He further said that educationists should play their role for creating awareness about thalassemia disease among citizens and convince them to donate blood which is the only life line and ray of hope for the survival of patients suffering from this disease.
He said mosque was a very strong and effective platform in rural areas, which should be positively utilized for this purpose.
“There is only one thalassemia centre in Islamabad where 1200 to1500 blood bags are required per month, which is very difficult to achieve,” he added.
He warned that people were mostly avoiding donating blood in Ramazan and due to the non-availability of blood patients were suffering.