LARKANA: As many as 847 thalassaemia patients have been registered at the 12-bed Thalassaemia Center established in the Institute of Child Health, Chandka Medical College Hospital, Daily Times learnt on Tuesday.
On average, 30 patients visit the Center daily for blood transfusion and for getting medicines. This center which was established in 2011 which also provides free laboratory tests, iron chelating and supportive drugs free of cost but it is lacking essential investigation facilities which are costly such as Electrophoresis, Serum Feretin Level, Chorionic Villous Sampling (CVS) and others.
For prevention and better management, these important tests are carried out from private laboratories of Karachi by the parents that cost them a lot in this poverty stricken era and many of them cannot afford it due to which mortality of the affected patients is increasing. This Center badly needs on an emergency basis, apart from above facilities, an Auto Analyzer for blood grouping and cross-matching, Vidas PC (for Serum Feretin level and other blood tests), pharmacy fridge, air-conditioner and freezers.
During January-March 2017 period, as many as 39 new Thalassaemia patients were registered at this center which shows the number of affected patients, 529 infected children were infused with blood in March 2017 alone, 164 parents donated blood for their kids in the same month, 290 pints were donated by the center during the said month and HB of 688 patients and donors was also carried out which is evident that the center is working properly and delivering quality services to the patients.
Sources said that the SNE of this Center is pending approval since sometime which should also be approved without any further delay so that the poverty-stricken parents should not suffer anymore.
Dr. Hassan Chandio, in-charge of the Center said there is absolutely no curative treatment of Thalassaemia available in the world but this disease can be prevented by Chorio Villus Sampling (CVS) at the 3rd month of gestation (pregnancy) adding that if the fetus (baby in womb) shows Thalassaemia major then it will be discarded. Dr Chandio said that Sindh Thalassaemia Act has been passed by the Sindh Assembly in 2013 but it is yet to be implemented in letter & spirit in the province.
