Steps Being Taken To Make Punjab Thalassemia Free: Khawaja Salman

LAHORE, Jan 6 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 06th Jan, 2017 ) : Punjab Minister for Specialized Healthcare & Medical education Khawaja Salman Rafiq on Friday said that necessary steps were being taken to eradicate thalassemia and make Punjab thalassemia free.

The minister stated this while presiding over a meeting to review the performance of Punjab Thalassemia Prevention programme and its strengthening. For this purpose, the Punjab Thalassemia Prevention Authority would be established, adding that instruction had been passed to take necessary measures on immediate basis in this regard.

Besides Secretary Specialized Healthcare & Medical Education Najam Ahmad Shah, Vice Chancellor Fatima Jinnah Medical University Prof. Dr. Fakhar Imam, Special Secretary Health Dr. Sajid Chohan, Additional Secretary Health Development Musarrat Jabeen, Project Director PTPP Dr.

Shabnum Bashir and other officers attended the meeting. During the meeting, it was informed that thalassemia prevention programme is running in 24 districts and the scope of the programme is being expanded up to 36 districts.

Dr. Shabnum Majeed informed that counseling programme for pre-marriage thalassemia test is also in progress.

She said that draft law had been sent to the Law Department for making pre-marriage thalassemia test of the couple mandatory to check spread of thalassemia.

She informed that prenatal screening facility is also being extended while DNA test and hematology laboratory equipments have also been installed. Secretary Health Najam Ahmad Shah said that government desired to extend the scope of hematology laboratory and other genetic disorder tests would also be included in the programme.

Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafiq observed that mass-awareness campaign is essential to sensitize the people regarding the health hazards of thalassemia, for this purpose, MNAs, MPAs and local bodies elected representatives can play a pivotal role in this regard and they should also be taken on board for this campaign.

Secretary Najam Ahmad Shah constituted a reform committee headed by VC FJMU Prof. Fakhar Imam which would submit a draft ACT and ToRs for proposed Punjab Thalassemia Prevention Authority within a week.