'Genetic Testing' Awareness For Public Can Fight Medical Complications: Expert

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 14th May, 2024) Health expert Tuesday stressed for art of genetic testing facilities and media drives for public awareness to combat rare diseases as largely neglected genetic diseases are responsible for 70 per cent deaths of infants in Pakistan.

“The genetic diseases are, in most cases, serious, chronic, debilitating and life-threatening, often requiring long and specialized treatments,” Dr Riffat Ahmad Assistant Prof Jamia Karachi said while talking to a Private news channel.

She explained that Pakistan was a highly inbred community with cousin marriages and same caste marriages, adding, it is imperative that awareness on genetic diseases is raised at every level.

She also underscored the importance of research and awareness in reducing the incidence of genetic disorders in Pakistan.

Prof Dr Riffat also shed light on the complications of hemophilia, an inherited genetic disorder that inhibits the body's ability to form blood clots effectively.

Experts say million people suffer from genetic defects attributable to close or first-cousin marriages in our country, she added.

The prenatal diagnosis was a proven method to prevent genetic disorders, she said, adding that it could help in choosing a healthy individual.