The Educationist Report

Lahore (May 07, 2018): Punjab Minister Specialized Healthcare & Medical Education Kh. Salman Rafique has said that the department has prepared amended draft of Punjab Prevention and Control of Thallassemia Act 2018 and the summary regarding the draft act is being sent today (Monday) to the Chief Minister Punjab for approval, after the approval from the Chief Minister, the draft bill will be sent to the Standing Committee.

He stated this while presiding over a meeting regarding the Punjab Thallassemia Control Programme, here today. Secretary SH&ME Najam Ahmed Shah, Additional Secretary (Technical) Dr. Salman Shahid, Project Director Punjab Thallassemia Control Programme Dr. Shabnam Bashir, Deputy Project Director Dr. Azhar Jafferi, Director Institute of Blood Transfusion, Dr. Zafar Iqbal,  Secretary Punjab Blood Transfusion Authority Dr. Muhammad Athar, Dr. Arif and other concerned officers attended the meeting.

Dr. Shabnam Bashir told that the Thallassemia Test of the male has been made mandatory before marriage in the draft bill to control spread of the disease. Dr. Shabnam further said that if the couple (boy and girl) is the career of thallassemia minor, their children would be the patient of thallassemia major which is an active thassassemia disease. Therefore, the thallassemia test of male is being made mandatory to prevent the future generation from the disease. She said that this law has been prevailing in various countries and they have succeeded to control / eliminate thallassemia.

Dr. Shabnam Bashir said that it is also proposed that the confirmation of thallassemia test before “Nikah” also be made compulsory for “Nikah Khawan”. The Minister Health Kh. Salman Rafique observed that the disease of thallassemia spreading among the children and legislation and implementation is the need of the hour for overcoming the issue for which religious leaders and community have to play active role for ensuring the implementation on the law.

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