Photo: BSS

 
RANGPUR, Oct 16, 2025 (BSS) - Renowned health experts in a discussion today 
said that the complex disease of thalassemia can be completely prevented if a 
thalassemia gene carrier does not marry another gene carrier.
 
They laid special emphasis on creating adequate awareness among the general 
public about thalassemia and encouraged everyone to get thalassemia blood 
tests done before marriage to make Bangladesh free of this disease within the 
next 10 years.
 
With the support of Bangladesh Thalassemia Samity Hospital, Rangpur Community 
Medical College and Hospital (RCMCH), an associate institution of Rangpur 
Group, organised the discussion titled "Thalassemia Awareness and Free 
Medical Campaign" at its auditorium in the city.
 
Presided over by Rangpur Community Medical College Professor Dr Md Shariful 
Islam, 250 participants, including 145 fifth year MBBS students and intern 
doctors and teachers of the internationally reputed private sector medical 
college attended the event.
 
Deputy Managing Director of Rangpur Group Md Ashraful Alam Al-Amin addressed 
the discussion as the chief guest while Director of Rangpur Group Mohammad 
Moazzem Hossain Sarkar spoke as special guest.
 
Bangladesh Thalassemia Samity Hospital Executive Director Dr AKM Ekramul 
Hossain presented a documentary on Thalassemia narrating its present 
situation, treatment facilities and way-outs to build a Bangladesh free from 
the preventable disease.
 
"In Bangladesh, 12 percent of the population carries the thalassemia gene, 
where the prevalence rate of thalassemia gene carriers in Rangpur is 27 
percent and in Dinajpur 17 percent. The situation in Rangpur division is very 
bad," he said. 
 
Associate Professor of the Department of Hematology at Dhaka Medical College 
Hospital (DMCH) Dr Mafruha Akter gave a scientific presentation on 
Thalassemia.
 
She elaborately discussed the reasons behind the disease caused by a genetic 
mutation that causes a defect in hemoglobin production.
 
"There is no problem if a thalassemia gene carrier and a non-carrier get 
married. However, if a thalassemia gene carrier marries another gene carrier, 
then the probability of their children becoming thalassemia patients is 25 
percent," she said.
 
Ex-Head of the Department of Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplant at
DMCH Prof Dr M A Khan delivered the keynote presentation narrating the 
treatment protocol and other technical and scientific issues related to 
thalassemia.
 
The experts said that thalassemia is a blood disorder and inherited from 
parents to children through genes. 
 
The treatment of the disease for a patient is very costly and ranges between 
Taka 10,000 and Taka 20,000 or even much more per month.
 
Prof Khan said thalassemia is treated based on its severity, with common 
treatments including regular blood transfusions for moderate to severe cases 
and iron chelation therapy to remove excess iron buildup from the 
transfusions. 
 
"Other treatments may involve folic acid supplements, medication like 
luspatercept or hydroxyurea, and in rare, severe cases, a stem cell (bone 
marrow) transplant to cure the condition," he said.
 
He especially called on the media workers to disseminate adequate information 
to make the public aware of the completely preventable disease and popularize 
blood tests before marriage for everyone to free Bangladesh from thalassemia.
 
Chief guest Ashraful Alam Al-Amin said that the RCMCH authorities will make 
every effort to increase awareness of thalassemia and make treatment easily 
available to thalassemia patients at affordable prices.
 
On the occasion, Chief Medical Officer of the Bangladesh Thalassemia Samity 
Hospital Dr Kabirul Islam and experts physicians of RCMCH provided cost-free 
treatment and medicines worth about Taka one-lakh to 40 thalassemia patients.