Patients’ Welfare Association (PWA) along with Health Department of Sindh inaugurated Thalassemia Day Care Center at Civil Hospital, Karachi.
Provincial Minister of Health, Dr. Sagheer alongwtih renowned industrialist S. M. Muneer performed the Inauguration Ceremony. Secretary Health Syed Hashim Raza Zaidi, Medical Superintendent Civil Hospital Prof. Saeed Qureshi and volunteers of Patients Welfare Association (PWA) were also present on the occasion.
Sindh Minister for Health Dr. Sagheer Ahmed said on Thursday that thallessmia centers were being established at seven major hospitals in the province with a cost of Rs. 174.116 million, in order to stem the spread of the disease.
He said that the centre had been established at a cost of Rs4.2 million and it would be provided with state of the art equipment worth Rs22 million.
He said that single tube osmotic fragility test (SOFT) would be started from next year to ascertain thalasseamia-inflicted patients. If required after SOFT, electrophoresis test would be performed on the patients, he added.
Provincial Minister further said that required legislation in this regard was being considered and a draft bill is in the process and would be presented in Provincial Assembly.
He lauded the efforts of Patients Welfare Association for managing this day care centre, where transfusion facilities would also be available for the patients. By patronizing PWA, SM Muneer is doing a noble duty and other philanthropists should follow him for minimizing the suffering of thallasseamia patients.
S.M. Muneer, in his address, said that he has special affection for thalasseamia patients and pledged that every help and assistant would be provided to them.
Former secretary health Syed Hashim Raza Zaidi said that Health Department had directed Sindh Blood Transfusion Authority to suggest ways and means for providing required facilities to thalasseamia patients.
The Thalassemia Day Care Centre at Civil Hospital Karachi is now functional under the management of Patients’ Welfare Association.
This is the first of seven such centers that the Government of Sindh plans to establish in teaching hospitals of Sindh.
PWA under its department of Thalassemia services has already been catering to 100 registered Thalassemia patients are receiving regular checkups, blood transfusions, lab investigations, iron chelation therapy and other necessary medications .
Apart from that additional 175 patients are receiving blood transfusions at newly established Thlassemia Day Care Center.
All services are provided free of cost. PWA plans to expand the existing Thlassemia services in near future.