The proposed bill regarding mandatory blood screening of all couples before marriage to ascertain that both may not be carriers of Thalassemia Minor holds no value in the absence of required testing facility at government facility centres across the country. Experts including pathologists and paediatricians mentioned that Thalassemia Majors an incurable health condition consequent to marriage between two Thalassemia Minor was being increasingly reported due to lack of due realisation of the reason of disease as well as absence of required testing facilities in public sector health facilities.
The test costing Rs 1400 in private sector, only in urban centres is largely non-affordable for urbanites and simply beyond reach of rural populations, who are gradually realising the prevalence and its severity among themselves and in their kids due to rampant trend of consanguine marriages.
Dr Hussain Hadi observed with grave concern the inability of many of the qualified medical professionals to make proper diagnosis of disease and often confusing it with Anaemia aggravating the condition of the infant patient.
Altaf Nazim of Hussaini Haematology and Oncology Trust in a press briefing observed the proposed bill to be an immature attempt owing to absence of required infrastructure.
He said not much funding was required for the facility as each District Hospital had enough space or at least a room to get the needed machinery installed which was not very expensive while running expenditure could also be met through close co-ordination between private and public sectors.
According to him the testing facility could also be complimented with a full fledged Thalassemia Treatment Centre as a considerably high number of Thalassemic children are being referred to treatments units in Karachi.
A full fledged and proper blood testing facilities for wide range of blood borne diseases was also recommended.
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