Health experts at a discussion have laid emphasis on creating social awareness and inspiring the youths to conduct blood tests before getting married to prevent the genetically inherited disease of thalassemia.
They said thalassemia is an autosomal recessive blood disorder which gets inherited from parents to the children through genes to cause destruction of the red blood cells affecting the formation of hemoglobin in the body to cause anemia.
They came up with the views on the eighth instant at the post-rally discussion jointly arranged by the Civil Surgeon Office and Rangpur Maternity and Child Hospital in observance of the World Thalassemia Day-2018 in Rangpur.
The day was observed with the theme of “Thalassaemia past, present and future: Documenting progress and patients’ needs worldwide” to raise public awareness about this disease, prevention measures and measures to avoid its transmission.
Earlier, a colourful rally, participated by officials of the divisional and district health administrations, physicians and nurses, was brought out on the city streets.
Divisional Director (Health) Dr Md Mostafizur Rahman attended the discussion held at conference room of Sadar Hospital as the chief guest.
With Civil Surgeon Dr Abu Md Zakirul Islam in the chair, Director of Rangpur Maternity and Child Hospital Professor Dr MA Wahed addressed the discussion as special guest.
Civil Surgeon Dr Abu Md Zakirul Islam said thalassemia causes complications like bone deformities, iron overload, cardiovascular illnesses, heart palpitations, enlarged liver, jaundice, enlarged spleen, enlarged bones of cheeks or forehead and delayed puberty.
Professor Dr MA Wahed suggested the male and female youths to go for detailed blood tests to find out symptoms of possible emerging of thalassemia before getting married to prevent giving birth to an infant with thalassemia.
The chief guest stressed on creating awareness among the common people to increase their knowledge about the genetic disease to reduce the number of thalassemia patients.
He suggested to all the carriers of thalassemia gene to meet a genetic counselor at the earliest to get proper treatment before being a parent of child or prevent the gene to get inherited to their child.
