LARKANA: The Chandka Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) Head of Department of Paeds Medicine Prof Saifullah Jamro on Tuesday addressed a seminar held at Shaikh Zayed Hospital for Women to observe International Thalassaemia Day.
He said that about 2.5 million children are suffering from Thalassaemia in Pakistan with an annual increase of 6000, a disease that causes the body to produce abnormal haemoglobin red blood cells, which in turn causes anaemia.
He revealed that there are two types of Thalassaemia namely alpha thalassaemia and beta thalassaemia.
“The only cure is bone marrow transplantation which is expensive and not available in Larkana yet,” he said.
He urged for medical test of Thalassaemia before marriage to prevent its spread.
The Commissioner Muhammad Abbas Baloch said that the district management aims to establish blood donation centres at various places to offer donation to the affected children.
Prof Ghulam Asghar Channa urged to develop awareness among the masses to restrict spread of the ‘killing’ disease.
“Blood donation would ensure saving lives of many affected children who need blood transfusion,” he said adding that the disease is transferred to the newborns from their parents which can be prevented within two months of pregnancy.
He advised that those who suffer from Thalassaemia should never get married.
Later, the participants met the affected children, their parents and distributed gifts among them.
Over 100 students of CMCH donated blood on the occasion to mark the day.
Thalassaemia Center, established in the Paeds Medicine Department, was handed over to Fatimid Foundation due to lack of resources and management by CMCH.
However, the Sindh Government has been providing full financial support to the foundation. However, people still complain about lack of donors as affected children are denied blood transfusions.
A senior pediatrician said that preventive measures are essential, otherwise the spread would never be controlled by establishing centres only.
Published in Daily Times, May 9th 2018.