Thalassaemia-major: 5,000 new patients emerge every year

Health experts want to create public awareness about the disorder and avoiding cousin marriages.

ISLAMABAD: Health experts say that around 5,000 children are diagnosed with thalassaemia-major every year in Pakistan. They want to create public awareness about the disorder and avoiding cousin marriages. They stress that thalassaemia should be included in the school curriculum. Dr Waseem Khawaja of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) says the patients need blood transfusions after every eight weeks which exposes them to a risk of blood infections, including hepatitis and HIV.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 14^th, 2012.