Balochistan Can Be Made Thalassemia-free By Creating Awareness Among People: Speakers

Speakers at a seminar here at the Balon Medical Complex (BMC) Hospital on Monday said though the death rate of children affected by thalassemia in Balochistan was decreasing but by creating awareness among the people, the province could be made free from the disease

QUETTA, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 13th May, 2024) Speakers at a seminar here at the Balon Medical Complex (BMC) Hospital on Monday said though the death rate of children affected by thalassemia in Balochistan was decreasing but by creating awareness among the people, the province could be made free from the disease.

"Due to the excellent care of children admitted to BMC Hospital's Thalassemia Center, not only the mortality rate has decreased but also the frequency of blood transfusions has increased significantly," the added.

The seminar organized under the Department of Blood Bank and Thalassemia Clinic of BMC Hospital in connection with the World Thalassemia Day observed on May 8, was attended by the children suffering from thalassemia and their parents.

Secretary Health Abdullah Khan, in his remarks, said that some diseases could not be cured only by medicine but awareness campaign was essential against them.

"If we check the registration records of married couples, it will be found that many married couples are not aware of this legislation which states that if a couple is tested for thalassemia before marriage, it can be controlled. It can be easy to find," he added.

He said that in order to control the disease, it was necessary to implement the Balochistan Thalassemia Prevention Act, according to which it was mandatory to conduct a thalassemia test before marriage.

"We need the community support to reduce this disease, there is a need for such awareness campaign that people themselves are willing to make thalassemia test mandatory before marriage.

It has to be done so that we can protect our coming new generation from this disease."

Director of Balochistan Safe Transfusion Authority Professor Dr. Hanif Mengal said that thalassemia could be controlled with cooperation of the community. The thalassemia tests must be conducted by the couples before marriage.

He said that children admitted to BMC Blood Bank and Thalassemia Center required blood transfusion, saying that at present, more than 5000 patients were registered in the Thalassemia Center.

"Good care and timely use of medicines have improved the health of children, research is ongoing on drugs that can minimize the need for blood transfusions," he said.

He said that thalassemia screening test was free for all at the BMC Blood Bank.

"If the parents make blood screening of boy and girl before marriage, they could save future generations and themselves from problems. Otherwise, the next generations will be born with thalassemia major and the children will need more blood than milk for the rest of their life and the life of the parents will be spent in finding a blood donor worldwide."

The treatment of thalassemia major was very expensive, he underlined.

He said that bone marrow transplant cost from Rs 6 million to 10 million. The new technology gene therapy had proved to be an even more expensive treatment.

In Balochistan, such an expensive treatment was not possible, so efforts were being made to control the disease with medicines, he said.