Executive Director of Afzaal Memorial Thalassemia Foundation (AMTF), Ateeq Ur Rehman has urged the government to realise the responsibility and provide the health coverage to thalassemic children. On world health day, he said we should affirm and establish that, "A thalassemic child who is born by this aliment should be assured of life, integrity, human dignity, care, treatment, blood and life saving medicines".
He said every thalassemic patient should be able to access the health care they need, when and where they need it. He said that universal health coverage is the part of the sustainable development goal and is a right of every human being to be covered under health insurance.
It is not easy to sustain life of a thalassemic child, apart from availing the health services available by personal resources.
It goes without saying that it is very cumbersome and difficult to arrange blood, life saving medicines, dedicated doctors, I.C.U, laboratory and diagnostic services and other treatments for thalassemic children as they are permanent guest of the hospital. Government should come forward and share the burden.
He urged, we have to stop severe thalassemic syndromes (majors) coming to this world by advocacy and awareness. People are not taking it seriously as every day we add 17 to 18 thalassemic majors to our huge population only because of non awareness.
He said large number of thalassemic children die every year without access to quality care, determination, dedication, social and financial protection.
Ateeq added that the capacity building and advocacy will save the nation from the havoc of thalassemia. Community development programmes which are missing are always a great support to thalassemics patient's ability to survive, he said.
He mentioned that thalassemia is erupting like volcano and hundreds of children are dying without proper medical support. The thalassemic centres alone cannot save lives of so many children without the help of government and which is beyond their capacity.
Ateeq call on this Health Day that substantial support is required on immediate basis for enforcement of legislation on mandatory thalassemia screening, would be husband and would be wife having thalassemic genes should not marry each other.
Comments
Comments are closed.