Shifa International Hospital (SIH) on Tuesday organised a colourful awareness walk to mark World Thalassemia Day in front of Shifa International Hospital.
SIH Chief Operating Officer Sohail Siddiqi, Director Strategic Planning Mahmood Mirza, General Manager Pharmacy Services SIH Shafqat Ali Hamadani, Senior Manager Media Azmatullah Quraishi, scores of school children, thalassemia patients, medical students, doctors and people from twin cities participated in the walk. Colorful umbrellas were also distributed among the participants on this occasion.
Shifa’s consultants Dr Kamran Rasheed and Dr Aysha Junaid also participated in the walk and apprised the participants about the Thalassemia disease, its prevalence, symptoms, diagnostic process and its management. They said that with estimated prevalence of Thalassemia around eight percent in Pakistan, it has become a major health concern for the nation. They requested the masses to donate blood to Thalassemia major patients to save their lives.
They stressed on the need to start extensive awareness campaign among the masses to prevent the disease. They believed that blood screening before marriages, counseling and awareness programs on Thalassemia at all levels can reduce the risk of Thalassemia among children. The experts said the prenatal diagnosis (a test during pregnancy) is also an effective strategy to control Thalassemia.
They said Thalassemia is a genetic blood disorder in which abnormal hemoglobin chains are produced. Hemoglobin is an important protein that helps transport oxygen in the blood. The defective hemoglobin chain formation leads to severe anemia, one of the key symptoms of the disease.
They further said that the inheritance of malfunctioning genes from both parents results in Thalassemia major that is the severe form of Thalassemia. Whereas, single parent inheritance of imperfect gene causes Thalassemia minor that is not so harmful. The experts said that for Thalassemia major, monthly basis blood transfusions are the common management option. Bone marrow transplant (BMT) is the final treatment choice for Thalassemia major patients, which has proven to be a successful permanent management option, they said while adding that we have done a number of BMT procedures at Shifa and the patients are leading normal life after this major procedure.
Dr Aysha Junaid urged the masses to support the Thalassemia major patients by donating blood. She insisted that people should register themselves as blood donor voluntarily to save precious lives. “Donating blood is saving life,” she advocated.
