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BSS-17
THALASEMIA-BANGLADESH (UNICEF FEATURE)
Thalassemia disease causing severe anemia in children
DHAKA, June 19, 2018 (BSS/UNICEF FEATURE) – Thalassemia, a hereditary
blood disorder that affects the body’s ability to produce hemoglobin and red
blood cells, is one of the worst type of diseases causing severe anemia among
children in Bangladesh and elsewhere across the world.
According to Bangladesh Thalassemia Foundation (BTF), a Thalassemia patient
needs 1-2 bags of blood every month to survive and the disease is very common
in Bangladesh. At least 7% of the Bangladesh population is thalassemia
carriers, it said.
The BTF also said that every year 7,000 new babies are born with
thalassemia in Bangladesh and the disease can be easily preventable with
proper knowledge and awareness. A person with thalassemia has too few red
blood cells and too little hemoglobin. The impact can range from mild to
severe and life-threatening, expert said.
Eminent physicians often suggest conducting blood tests of both male and
female before getting married only to ensure that a baby is not born with
thalassemia, a genetically inherited deadly disease transmitted to babies by
parents. They also suggest avoiding intra-family marriage to keep them away
from giving birth to a Thalassemia trait infant.
“Both male and female should go for a detailed blood test before getting
married to find out the symptoms of possible emergence of the chronic disease
Thalassemia,” Secretary General at Bangladesh Thalassemia Foundation Dr M
Abdur Rahim said.
A simple health check up for Thalassaemia carrier status before starting a
family can save any future child from becoming a patient of Thalassaemia
Major, unending cycle of injections, suffering and misery, says the eminent
haematologist.
“The ‘Thalassemia major’ occurs when a person inherits two Thalassemia
genes, one from each parent. Both parents may have ‘Thalassemia minor’ but
when two individuals who have ‘Thalassemia minor’ get married, there is a 25
percent possibility that any pregnancy can result in a child with Thalassemia
major,” Dr Rahim said.
Director of Dhaka Shishu Hospital Prof Dr Manzoor Hussain said: “If we can
introduce the anti-natal screening system in our country, we can decrease the
rate of the disease by terminating the Thalassemia positive unborn.”
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