Blood Donation Drive

Blood Donation Drive

Note: If you are not in Karachi then visit any Thalassemia Center in your city/country and donate blood on the same day… lets bring change together! =)

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Thalassemia in Sindh: Children suffer the most with the blood disease

Courtesy: tribune.com.pk

“I have seen broken marriages, deserted children and family feuds just because of this one disease,” says Dr Haroon Memon. He has been treating thalassemia patients for years in interior Sindh and is thoroughly aware of the devastation the disease has and can cause.

Working at the Thalassemia Care Centre in Badin, Dr Memon heads the facility where patients flock from eight districts of the province for a cure. The centre was built under the US Agency for International Development’s (USAID) District Grants Programme in 2005 and now functions with the help of Badin’s district government.

Victims of the inherited blood disorder — that results in severe blood shortage — suffer from an increase of iron in their bodies, diabetes and other major side effects. In the rural parts of the country where poverty, lack of resources and illiteracy result in the late or no diagnosis of the disorder, the social implications become more prominent than the physical ones.   Pakistan is counted among those less-developed countries where thalassemia patients are multiplying at a very fast rate. Although no proper research has been done in the country, experts say almost seven per 100 people are carriers, known as thalassemia minors. The carriers are normal themselves but have the potential to transmit it to the next generation causing thalassemia major.

When two carriers reproduce, there are 25 per cent chances that the child will be normal, 25 per cent chances that he or she will have thalassemia major and 50 per cent chances that the child will also be a carrier, says Dr Memon. Therefore a large proportion of thalassemia patients are children.

There is growing concern that thalassemia may become a very serious problem in the next 50 years – one that will burden the world’s blood bank supplies and the health system in general.

With the requirement of a bottle of blood almost every few days, the life of a thalassemia patient is like that of a car, one whose engine runs on fuel, explains Dr Memon. In such a scenario, prevention  not cure is what needs to be done to fight the genetically transmitted disease.

Beta thalassemia

In Sindh, most people suffer from beta thalassemia, which is one of the most familiar types. It involves decreased production of normal adult haemoglobin (Hb A), which is the predominant type of haemoglobin.

(All haemoglobin consists of two parts: heme and globin). The globin part of Hb A has four protein sections called polypeptide chains.

Two of these chains are identical and are designated as the alpha chains. The other two chains are also identical to one another but differ from the alpha chains and are termed the beta chains. In people with beta thalassemia, there is a reduced or absent production of beta globin chains.

Iron concentration

Dr Memon says that there are patients at his centre who, because of continuous blood transfusions, have developed a concentration of iron in different parts of the body and have to be treated for that. The iron concentrates in the heart, pancreas, liver, spleen and the endocrine glands, he adds.

Such children show signs of a ballooned stomach, broader forehead and jaw bones and prominently bad teeth.

Our job is to maintain the haemoglobin level of the thalassemia patients at 10.5 grams, to control the iron concentration in different parts of the body and to counsel the parents, says Dr Memon.

Law in the making

Concerned doctors are lobbying for a law to be passed for the identification of carriers in the province, informs Dr Saqib Ansari, a haematologist at the National Institute of Blood Diseases (NIBD). “In the year 2010, close to the World Thalassemia Day (May 8), the Sindh Assembly adopted a resolution to make the thalassemia test a pre-condition for nikah, but it could never be formed into a bill,” he says. Dr Ansari claims that this will successfully reduce the danger of thalassemia transmission without stigmatising women.

Meanwhile, Dr Ansari also says that a fatwa has been taken that allows a child with thalassemia major can be aborted before the 16th week.

The government needs to realise that apart from human suffering, supporting thalassemia patients is a huge financial cost, he says. “The disease needs to be controlled before the numbers shoot up.”

Thalassemia Free New Year!

Thalassemia Free New Year!!

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Thalassemia Awareness & Its Prevention Seminar

Thalassemia Awareness & Its Prevention Seminar

FAiTh – Fight Against Thalassemia organized Seminar on “Thalassemia Awareness & Its Prevention” at The Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Karachi University on 21st October 2010.

We are highly thankful to Dr. Iqbal Azhar of University of Karachi for giving us a chance to arrange the seminar. Special thanks to our speakers Dr. Tahir Shamsi (Hematologist – National Institute of Blood Disorders), Dr. Waseem and Mr. Muhammad Iqbal (Kashif Iqbal Thalassaemia Care Centre (KITCC)) for sparing their precious time.

As the seminar hall could cater 150 students at a time we decided to do two sessions, so that more students can get benefited by the teachings and we tried our best to stream the seminar live so that our online visitors can also see and learn..

For first session we had Dr. Waseem with topic “What is Thalassemia” and Mr. Iqbal with topic “Thalassemia Prevention”. For second session we had Dr. Tahir Shamsi with topic “What is Thalassemia” and Mr. Iqbal with topic “Thalassemia Prevention”.

Seminar’s first session started at 11:00AM with a welcome note, Quran recitation and then our first speaker Dr. Waseem spoke to the audience about What is Thalassemia?

After Dr. Waseem our next speaker Mr. Iqbal spoke about Thalassemia Prevention. A clip of 7 minutes was also shown to the audience to make them understand more clearly What is Thalassemia and how it can be prevented.

First session came to the end with question answer session.

Second session started at 12:15PM with a welcome note and then audience was mesmerized by our first speaker of second session Dr. Tahir Shamsi, he engaged the whole department in his presentation and audience could understand each and everything about Thalassemia.

Audience wanted to hear more from Dr. Tahir Shamsi but as everything has to end so we had to move towards that same 7 minutes clip and then dice was taken by Mr. Iqbal. Who explained audience how they can prevent our next generation from Thalassemia!

Second session ended at 01:30PM with tremendous response from the faculty and students. We are again thankful to University of Karachi and our speakers, this couldn’t have been possible without you all! Thank you once again!

I have tried to record the whole seminar but due to some problem some of the parts are missing, I apologize for those missing parts.

Videos:

Photos:

Note: If you want us to organize a seminar in your office, college or university let us know, we would feel glad to arrange!

Averting brain drain: ‘doctors should be provided better working conditions’

Courtesy: beta.brecorder.com

Acting President, Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), Talat Mahmood has said doctors should be provided better working conditions to avert the situation of brain drain. He said that it’s really worrying that doctors were going abroad permanently for better prospects. He further said that Pakistan must provide them better working conditions in the country so that they stay in the country and serve the nation.

Criticising targeted killings and kidnapping of the doctors, he advised concerned government authorities to take notice of the issue and deal with the people involved in this heinous crime. Talking to medical students of Dow Medical College (DMC), Patient’s Welfare Association (PWA), he appreciated students for their efforts and opening a medical store, follow-up clinics for epilepsy, SLE, diabetes, asthma, hypertension, tuberculosis and thalassemia under PWA and providing completely free treatment to over 200 patients at Civil Hospital. Former Chairman Banking and Insurance Committee of KCCI, Ateeq-ur-Rehman said that KCCI had played a role in launching PWA’s Diagnostic Laboratory at Civil Hospital.

Thalassemia Awareness Seminar

Fun and feast for special children

Courtesy: dawn.com

Around 500 special children of different educational and rehabilitation centres being run by non-governmental and charitable organisations enjoyed exciting games, competitions and other recreational activities at a carnival held on Monday.

Inside a huge tent pitched in a lawn along Sharea Faisal especially for the young visitors, no one was found too shy or too timid to interact with one another.

Potato race, bubble catch, pottery, freeze dance, dart shooting, jumping castle, illusion show and pin the donkey made the colourful event even more thrilling for the young participants.

It was one of the rare occasions where street children also had an opportunity to attend the “Ramazan kids carnival”.
“The purpose was to give special children, orphans, street children and thalassaemia patients a chance to have fun and also demonstrate their talent,” said Farhan Ahmad, an official of the HSBC that had organised the event.

Children accompanied by their teachers and representatives of their academic and rehabilitation centres were encouraged to participate in games and competitions. While the enthusiasts won prizes which also included toys, all children attending the event were presented with Eid gifts. It was their involvement in the exciting activities that made the carnival a remarkable event.

A couple of celebrities also joined the special children at the evening.

Zaid Rao, a young thalassaemia patient, told Dawn that he found the evening interesting. “We all have good time here,” he said, adding that the special children also had an opportunity to expose their hidden talents and feel, amidst clapping and appreciation, a change they too deserved.

Farhana Khalid, a teacher accompanying the deaf and dumb students of the Family Educational Services Foundation, appreciated the fact that the special children had been offered a recreational facility despite all odds in society.

Rana Asif Habib of the Initiator Human Development Foundation said that the problem of street children was a serious challenge for the civil society. He highlighted the need for civil society and the government to join hands to ensure provision of rights to children.

The special children showed their keen interest in pottery, face painting and bubble catch booths where organisers were present to guide and support them.

Later, Iftar was also served.

The children had come from different educational and rehabilitation centres, including the Family Educational Services Foundation, Karachi Vocational Training Centre, SOS Children’s Villages of Karachi, Concern for Children, Children Health & Education Foundation, HOPE Home Schools, Kashif Iqbal Thalassemia Care Centre and the Initiator Human Development Foundation.

Thalassemic teenager ‘joins’ Pakistan Army

Courtesy: thaindian.com

A 15-year-old boy suffering from thalassemia made history on the 64th independence day of Pakistan by joining the armed forces for one day, media reports said.

Abdul Basit had expressed his desire through an NGO to join the Pakistan Army as his life’s dream.

Army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, taking special interest in the boy’s wish, allowed him to join armed forces for a day Aug 14.

The boy reported to a unit of the Punjab Regiment in Karachi’s Malir Cantt early morning and went through all the drills with other soldiers. He also took part in the flag-hoisting ceremony.

After spending a busy day in the regiment, he was presented with a certificate by the General Officer Commanding, Maj. Gen. Asfand Yar Khan.

Basit, though very weak and fragile because of his ailment, put on a military uniform like a professional soldier, the Associated Press of Pakistan said.

A jubilant Basit said that his life-long desire had been fulfilled and he would cherish every minute of this day spent as a soldier for the rest of his life.

His father Abdul Khaliq said he never imagined that his son’s wish could be fulfilled like this. He thanked the army chief and NGO Make a Wish Foundation for making it possible. Amongst Khaliq’s six children, three are thalassemia patients.

Blood donation camps in memory of Benazir

Courtesy: thenews.com.pk

Blood donation camps will be arranged in all districts of Sindh for three days starting on June 21 on occasion of Benazir Bhutto’s 57th birth anniversary.

This was stated on Sunday by Dr Kareem Khawaja, president of People’s Doctors Forum, while talking to The News.

A portion of the total collection of blood would be dispatched for soldiers fighting against terrorism while the other beneficiaries of this campaign would be the patients of thalassemia and the general public, he said.

Dr Khawaja said that his forum had collected 10,500 blood bags last year out of which 5,400 bags were given to the soldiers involved in eliminating extremism and terrorism from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and tribal areas.

Meanwhile, a handout issued from the CM House said that executive district officers (health) would arrange blood camps for three days in their respective districts. Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah has announced a reward for maximum collection of blood bags in the districts.

FAiTh @ FM 107 on International Thalassemia Day!

Listen: FAiTh @ FM 107 on International Thalassemia Day!

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