Mintu Abdur Rahman ,Rangpur :
The number of Thalassemia patients is increasing day by day in Rangpur division.Every year, around 500 to 700 patients are treated at Rangpur Medical College Hospital.
Though there is no official survey on this, a retired medical practitioner Professor MA Wahed has been studying for a long time. In his study, this terrible form of Thalassemia in Rangpur region has emerged. He presented the research paper in a doctors’ conference held in India last year.
Professor Wahed said that most of the victims of Rangpur region are suffering from deadly e-beta Thalassemia. According to the type of disease Thalassemia is mainly divided into three categories – alpha, beta and minor. E-beta is a part of Beta Thalassemia.
Doctors said that the red blood cells of Thalassemia contains unusual hemoglobin gene. As a result, oxygen supply in the cell is interrupted. Consequently, anemia can occur.
It is learnt that two sons of a late journalist of Senpara area in Rangpur city have been suffering from Thalassemia for long. Five of the seven members of the family of one Abdur Rahman at Mithapukur upazila in Rangpur are affected by E-beta Thalassemia. They require eight to 10 bags of blood per month.
According to sources Thalassemia has been found in around 98 out of 1,000 children (1-15 years) under Rangpur district.
Doctors at the Rangpur Medical College Hospital said that the disease has become acute in Dinajpur, Thakurgaon and Panchagarh of Rangpur Division. Besides,
Deputy Director of Rangpur Health Department, Mozammel Haque said, especially children and women are getting more affected by this disease.
Admitting that there is no correct statistics in the health department, he said that awareness campaigns for the therapeutic activities of Thalassemia are being organised in different hospitals, community clinics and government service centres including meetings and seminars.
