GO BLOOD SCREENING FOR THALASSAEMIA
29 Julai, 2009 16:29 PM
Go Blood Screening For Thalassaemia, Urges TAM
KUALA LUMPUR, July 29 (Bernama) -- The Thalassaemia Association of Malaysia (TAM) is urging members of the public to go for screening to determine their health status on this inherited blood disorder.
TAM president Datuk Dr Zulkifli Ismail said this was a crucial preventive step that could save their children from being Thalassaemia patients.
Besides bone marrow transplant, there is no cure as yet for Thalassaemia.
"That is why it is important for people, especially those who are getting married, to go for Thalassaemia screening, because it is the only other way that we can prevent it from spreading and getting worse," he said at a news conference on the inaugural Thalassaemia Awareness Day here Wednesday.
Thalassaemia is an inherited autosomal recessive blood disease, while Thalassaemia major is a disorder where patients cannot make enough haemoglobin because their bone marrow cannot produce enough red blood cells.
Dr Zulkifli said if that both parents were Thalassaemia trait carriers, there was a 25 per cent chance that their children would be born a thalassaemia major, which would require them to undergo monthly blood transfusion to survive, and a 50 per cent chance that they would be carrier of the trait.
He said that based on statistics, at least one out of 20 Malaysians was a Thalassaemia carrier, or approximately 600,000 to one million of the population.
He said the Health Ministry's registry showed that there were some 4,385 Thalassaemia patients are now undergoing monthly blood transfusion, while the number could reach 5,000 by year end.
"This is a startling figure. We hoped that through the event, Malaysians will wake up and take notice of this disorder. We want to get them to do something serious about it, that is to get their blood screened for Thalassaemia," he said.
Thalassaemia Awareness Day 2009 will be held on Aug 9 at Berjaya Times Square from 10am to 8pm.
There will be many activities planned for the day such as blood screening, blood donation campaign and informative games to raise awareness among members of the public on Thalassaemia.
© 2010 BERNAMA. Semua Hak Cipta Terpelihara.
Go Blood Screening For Thalassaemia, Urges TAM
KUALA LUMPUR, July 29 (Bernama) -- The Thalassaemia Association of Malaysia (TAM) is urging members of the public to go for screening to determine their health status on this inherited blood disorder.
TAM president Datuk Dr Zulkifli Ismail said this was a crucial preventive step that could save their children from being Thalassaemia patients.
Besides bone marrow transplant, there is no cure as yet for Thalassaemia.
"That is why it is important for people, especially those who are getting married, to go for Thalassaemia screening, because it is the only other way that we can prevent it from spreading and getting worse," he said at a news conference on the inaugural Thalassaemia Awareness Day here Wednesday.
Thalassaemia is an inherited autosomal recessive blood disease, while Thalassaemia major is a disorder where patients cannot make enough haemoglobin because their bone marrow cannot produce enough red blood cells.
Dr Zulkifli said if that both parents were Thalassaemia trait carriers, there was a 25 per cent chance that their children would be born a thalassaemia major, which would require them to undergo monthly blood transfusion to survive, and a 50 per cent chance that they would be carrier of the trait.
He said that based on statistics, at least one out of 20 Malaysians was a Thalassaemia carrier, or approximately 600,000 to one million of the population.
He said the Health Ministry's registry showed that there were some 4,385 Thalassaemia patients are now undergoing monthly blood transfusion, while the number could reach 5,000 by year end.
"This is a startling figure. We hoped that through the event, Malaysians will wake up and take notice of this disorder. We want to get them to do something serious about it, that is to get their blood screened for Thalassaemia," he said.
Thalassaemia Awareness Day 2009 will be held on Aug 9 at Berjaya Times Square from 10am to 8pm.
There will be many activities planned for the day such as blood screening, blood donation campaign and informative games to raise awareness among members of the public on Thalassaemia.
© 2010 BERNAMA. Semua Hak Cipta Terpelihara.
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