6/5/2008 . Bhopal: About 10,000 children are suffering from thalassemia -- a genetic disease caused by blood-deficiency in Madhya Pradesh. '''More than 300 kids have been detected as thalassemia patients in state capital,'' Madhya Pradesh Thalassemia Kid Care Society Secretary Sajid Khan told reporters here today, adding that the life span of thalassemia-affected kids was between 18-20 years. 

He said though no proper treatment was available, life span of these children could be increased by providing 10 to 15 unit blood per annum to the patient. ''Two companies are endeavouring to develop medicine for thalassemia but common people could not afford them,'' Dr Khan said. 

First of all thalassemia was detected in sea coat Syprus and later, it spread in entire India through Gujarat, Maharashtra and Punjab. The main symptom of thalassemia was the withering of children due to blood deficiency which also leads to iron deficiency. 

''If both parents suffered from thalassemia minor then there is a maximum possibility of detecting the disease in their kids,'' he said, adding that in absence of proper blood transmitting patients may succumb earlier. Besides, the system of developing iron content in the body shall also be ensured. In view of escalating tentacles of thalassemia, Delhi, Haryana and Gujarat set up Thalassemia Control Centres but the construction of such centre was being delayed from two years. 

In order to make people aware against the lethal disease, a rally would be taken out from local Raj Bhawan square to Lily Talkies on 'World Thalassemia Day' on May 8. 

Madhya Pradesh Governor Balram Jhakhar was invited for the rally besides Health and Family Welfare Minister Ajay Vishnoi and other eminent personalities would also take part. 

National Seminar on Thalassemia would be conducted in Bhopal on May 17 during which International Thalassemia Federation Syprus Vice President Shobha Tuli, All India Medical Society (Delhi) expert P B Choudhary and Thalassemia Society Vice President J S Arora would be present.
 
 

.....Back