Doctors, staff and students of Shifa International Hospital (SIH) led an awareness walk in front of the hospital to mark World Thalassaemia Day here on Tuesday. They were joined by schoolchildren, thalassaemia patients among others from the twin cities.
Shifa’s consultants Dr Kamran Rasheed and Dr Aysha Junaid apprised the participants about the genetic disorder, its prevalence, symptoms, diagnostic process and effective management.
With an estimated prevalence of around eight percent in Pakistan, thalassaemia has become a major health concern.
They encouraged the participants to donate blood to save lives of the thalassaemia major patients.
Thalassaemia is a genetic blood disorder in which abnormal hemoglobin chains are produced. The defective hemoglobin chain formation leads to severe anemia, one of the key symptoms of the disease.
The experts said that for thalassaemia majors, monthly blood transfusions are a common management option. Bone marrow transplant (BMT) is the final treatment choice for patients, which has proven to be successful in long term treatment.
Furthermore, they cited a number of BMT procedures at Shifa after which the patients are leading normal lives. Dr Aysha insisted that people should register themselves as blood donor voluntarily to save lives.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 9th, 2012.
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