Genetic disorder: ‘Avoid inter-family marriages to dodge thalassemia’
Thalassemia is a genetically transmitted blood disorder and its further proliferation could only be slashed down by avoiding intra-family marriages.
Dr Wasim Khawaja, a spokesman for Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences told APP that there are 10 million carriers of this disease who transmit it to the next generation.
Economic cost of thalassemia treatment is enormous. Experts say around 8,000 children are born with thalassemia every year. Thalassemia experts say almost seven per 100 people are thalassemia-minor patients in Pakistan and they are the ‘carriers’ of the disease.
The carriers are normal themselves and may not even know about their inborn disease until tested, but have the potential to transmit it to their offspring when they marry a carrier, producing a thalassemia major child. Ayesha Abid of Thalassemia Awareness and Prevention in Pakistan called upon the government to set up thalassemia centres to ensure blood transfusion services to the deserving patients.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 19th, 2012.
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here brothers marry sisters and cousins, I have witnessed it in Karachi itself, which is suppose to be the most advanced. .. this is a twisted, morally corrupt and extremely sick society. who can forget that our country is the world leader in searching adult websites, that too the most extreme and sick type. Its a shame to be part of this society.
But How is it possible in Islamic society?