Governor Punjab Satisfied With Working Of Thalassemia Federation

The 13th two-day National Thalassemia Conference and Workshop started on Saturday at Fatima Jinnah Medical University here.

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 8th Dec, 2018 ) :The 13th two-day National Thalassemia Conference and Workshop started on Saturday at Fatima Jinnah Medical University here.

Scores of Thalassemics, parents, doctors and social workers from all-over the country are attending the two-day national conference. Punjab Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar was the chief guest at the inaugural ceremony of the conference.

Prof Amir Zaman Khan, VC FJMU, welcomed the conference participants.

Speaking on the occasion, Punjab Governor Ch Muhammad Sarwar said that it is heartening to see that Thalassemia Federation of Pakistan and its member organisations are serving the nation by providing the much-needed treatment services to thalassemics all-over the country. "I am pleased to see that thalassemia experts from all-over the country are presenting the latest treatment and prevention protocols at the conference," he said.

The government, under the leadership of Imran Khan, is committed to providing the best of medical services to the people of the country. "I am sure that with Dr Yasmin Rashid, being the health minister of Punjab, the neglected areas of thalassemia would get its due share," he added.

Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid told the moot participants that over 6,000 affected children born annually with thalassemia, meaning that 17 affected children born each day in Pakistan.

These children require regular monthly blood transfusions and the treatment to just stay alive.

Since there is no easily available cure for the disorder, the only hope lies in adopting a preventive programme on the line pursued by countries like Italy, Cyprus and Iran, which had resulted in either complete control or significant reduction in the births of new Thalassemia major children in these countries, she added.

Considering the gravity of the issue, the Punjab government took the lead and initiated Punjab Thalassemia Prevention Project (PTPP), which was unique and could be compared with any other preventive programme of the world, she said.

The project is providing services totally free-of-cost in all 36 districts of Punjab. Furthermore, the provincial government is soon going to bring in a law on mandatorypremarital Thalassemia screening in the province.