Thalassemia centre for the people, by the people

Over the past two years, the facility has provided hundreds of patients proper medical care

BHAKKAR: A thalassemia centre in Bhakkar, established by citizens some two years ago, has become the only facility of its kind in South Punjab, operating purely on the dedication and philanthropy of the area residents.

Costing around Rs20 million, the Bhakkar Thalessemia Care Centre Trust was the brainchild of former district police officer Chuadhry Khalid Masood. Moreover, the centre employs those individuals who have lost a loved one to the disease; these people work at the centre free-of-charge.

Over the course of the past two years, the centre has provided hundreds of thalassemia patients proper medical care and around 7,000 bottles of blood. There are at least 450 patients registered at the centre and are being provided medical facilities free-of-charge.

The centre caters to around 15 to 20 thalassemia patients on a daily basis. Each patient, which includes children between the ages of six months to 18 years, is given a blood transfusion every 15 days. In addition to the blood transfusion, they are also provided medication for their condition.

Patients visiting the thalassemia centre hail from various districts such as Layyah, Mianwali, Dera Ismail Khan and Bhakkar. Around Rs13,000 is spent on each patient every month while the centre’s monthly expenses are calculated to be around Rs0.6 million.

In addition to thalassemia, the centre also does screening for all sorts of blood diseases free-of-charge. The centre also boasts an awareness hall where coordinators can educate patients’ families on the different aspects of the disease.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, Bhakkar Thalassemia Care Centre Trust President Mohammad Ayub said that the facility is the only one of its kind in South Punjab and is running without any assistance from the government.

“Not even a single penny has been taken from any government or social organisation,” he stated. The centre is completely dependent on God’s mercy and philanthropists in the area, he explained.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 21^st, 2019.