The former president of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Chamber of Commerce and Indsutry, Iftikhar Malik, on Tuesday requested the people of Pakistan to donate blood generously to thalassemia patients.
On World Blood Donation Awareness Week, the former president shared that many organisations across the country were collecting blood to help patients that had different types of illnesses.
The Sundas Foundation has helped these organisations under the leadership of its President, Dr Muahmmad Yasin Khan who was also awarded the Sitara-i-Imtiaz.
He also shared that the foundation has provided support to patients suffering from blood disorders such as thalassemia and hemophilia across Pakistan.
The SAARC former president concluded by saying that children suffering from thalassemia depend on regular blood transfusions. He urged people from all backgrounds donate blood.
In Pakistan, there are at least 60,000 registered patients of thalassemia. Every year, nearly 6000 children are born with the blood disorder.
There are more than 10 million carriers of the gene that causes thalassemia in the country.
Thalassemia test to be made compulsory before marriage in Pakistan
Earlier, the Federal Minister for Health, Mustafa Kamal, said that the government is planning to make thalassemia screening mandatory before marriage, according to reports on Thursday.
The minister further added that the test should be compulsory for the groom rather than the bride.
He also announced that the country’s first-ever Genome Policy will be introduced within one month.
Under this policy, the focus will shift from treating diseases to preventing them early on.
Mustafa Kamal further said that the government is planning to make thalassemia testing legally mandatory before marriage.
Read more: Pakistan to make Thalassemia test mandatory before marriage
