10,000 newborns affected by thalassemia every year

From our Correspondent

MANGALDAI, May 9:  The Blood Bank authority of Mangaldai Civil Hospital here observed Intertiol Thalassemia Day on Friday with a variety of programmes including awareness procession and public meeting.

Joint Director of Health Services of Darrang, Dr Manjula Medhi flagged off the awareness procession taken out in the morning throughout the main streets of Mangaldai town with the participation of health workers, nurses and people in general at the Mangaldai Civil Hospital campus. Dr Medhi in her iugural speech pointed out that with the growth of the blood bank machinery and facility of regular transfusion, thalassemia patients now could avail a better life and she hoped that such awareness programmes would definitely help the people.

Earlier explaining the objectives of the day, in-charge Medical Officer of the blood bank at Mangaldai Civil Hospital, Dr Daud Ali, outlined parents as the carriers of the disease and opined that disorder in blood formation was its main cause. Referring to the statistics he said that about 80 million people in the world were affected by this disease and in India about 10,000 babies affected by thalassemia are born every year.

The blood bank in Mangaldai has recorded 22 patients (all children) who are in need of monthly blood transfusion regularly from the blood bank. The awareness rally was followed by a public meeting on theme of this year’s World Thalassemia Day ‘Enhancing Partnership towards Patient Centered Health System: Good Health Adds Life to Years’. Superintendent of Mangaldai Civil Hospital, Dr Binita Goswami, senior surgeon Dr Phanindra Choudhury, officials of the health department and staff, guardians of thalassemia-affected children and the members of the media fraternity also attended the meeting.