Staff Reporter
Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid said on Tuesday that awareness on Thalassemia has increased manifolds and the team must continue the momentum.
Speaking at a ceremony organized by Thalasssemia Federation Pakistan and Sundas Foundation at Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Health Minister said awareness on Thalassemia is need of the hour.
Director General Punjab Health Services Dr Haroon Jehangir Khan, Additional Secretary (Technical) Primary Secondary Healthcare Dr Asim Altaf, Vice President Thalassamia Federation Pakistan Dr Sarfaraz Jaffery, Medical Advisor Dr Javera Mannan, Dr Hussain Jaffery, Prof Javed Ch and Syed Adnan Jamil highlighted pre-natal diagnosis of Thalassamia, treatment facilities and measures taken by the government to address them.
Dr Yasmin said that she congratulate Thalassamia Federation Pakistan, Sundas Foundation and the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry for organizing this important event. Creating awareness about the disease is the need of the hour. No previous government even thought of plight of Thalassemia patients.
Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar has promised Sehat Sahulat Cards and allocated beds for Thalassemia patients.
Thalassemia Federation is the only organization in the country that has got all societies registered with it. The credit of developing pre-natal diagnosis system for Thalassemia goes to Dr Javera Mannan and her team.
Dr Hussain Jaffery with a team took children on tour to K-2 for the first time in history and this made Thalassemia international news. Alhamdulillah, currently between 70 to 80% people know about Thalassemia.
The first prevention program was initiated at the King Edward Medical University for government ownership. Its treatment was very costly in the past but now the government is providing free treatment to patients. Creating awareness is a good deed and everyone sitting here must do this.”
Elaborating further, Dr Yasmin Rashid said, “The credit of increased health services goes to Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar. The Prime Minister has a compassionate heart.
By the end of the current year, all 29.3 families will be given health cards as the government has earmarked Rs100 billion for Sehat Sahulat Card.”
Meanwhile, Dr Yasmin Rashid inaugurated new EPI Centre in Shadman as well as anti-polio campaign in 11 districts here on Tuesday.
The minister said, “The campaign started from August 2, will be conducted in 11 districts and so far 2.2 million children have been inoculated.
The campaign is being held in Lahore, Faisalabad, Sheikhupura, Rawalpindi, Rahim Yar Khan, Multan, Rajanpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Bahawalpur, Muzaffargarh and Okara and by August 6, we will inoculate 10 million children.”
