ABBOTTABAD: In an effort to address the prevalence of thalassemia, an awareness seminar was held in Abbottabad, shedding light on the urgent need for disease prevention.
As per details, the event was organized at the Abbottabad Press Club which was chaired by Yasir Tanoli, Assistant Director of Bait ul Mal. Zainab Tariq, the Ambassador of Thalassemia Pakistan, graced the occasion as the chief guest, traveling from Karachi to attend the seminar. In her speech, she praised the efforts of Pakistan Bait ul Mal in their fight against thalassemia and its impact on the nation’s health.
The seminar underscored the significance of implementing pre-marital testing to prevent thalassemia transmission. Zainab Tariq said Thalassemia has become a widespread genetic disorder in Pakistan, with over 6,000 affected children being born each year with ‘thalassaemia major.’ This translates to approximately 17 affected babies being born in the country every day.
She added that in a developing nation like Pakistan, the burden of healthcare services, including blood transfusions with effective iron chelation and bone marrow transplantation, often exceeds the local capacity. Thus, prevention remains the most viable approach. “Population screening, genetic counseling, prenatal diagnosis, and the option of terminating affected pregnancies are the favored strategies to establish a control program”. She suggested.
She further said that Thalassemia is a preventable disease, and the hope lies in adopting a preventive program similar to the successful approaches implemented by countries like Italy and Cyprus, which have either eradicated the disease or significantly reduced the number of children born with thalassaemia.
Dr. Aftab Rabbani and Wing Commander R Ayaz Jadoon, both members of the Board of Governors at Ayub Medical Complex, emphasized the crucial role of pre-marital screening in reducing the disease’s prevalence.
Notable participants at the seminar included Dr. Naeema Afzal, former Head of the Pathology Department from Ayub Medical Complex, Dr. Wasil, District Coordinator DHQ Abbottabad alongwith Tariq Tanoli, and Haroon Tanoli from Save Life Thalassemia Children Pakistan. They addressed the audience, highlighting the urgency of curbing thalassemia, which they described as a pandemic affecting a significant portion of the population. Yasir Tanoli, in his capacity as Assistant Director of Bait ul Mal, assured the audience that Ayub Medical Complex would provide free care and support to thalassemia patients in the region, extending assistance to those in need.
In recognition of her dedicated efforts to raise awareness about thalassemia and advocate for its prevention, Zainab Tariq was presented with a commemorative shield at the end of the seminar.