Muscat: Inherited blood disorders such as Sickle Cell Disease and Thalassemia are among the most prominent health concerns in Oman as studies indicate that almost 60 per cent of Omanis are carriers of one or multiple genes of inherited blood disorders, according to a Senior Biomedical Scientist in the Department of Haematology at the Sultan Qaboos University Hospital (SQUH)
Dr Shoaib Al Zadjali, who is specialised in diagnosing inherited blood disorders using molecular genetic techniques, has, in his PhD thesis, discussed the genetic analysis of inherited blood disorders in Oman to achieve a high level of accuracy in the diagnosis of these disorders with simplified and advanced techniques of genetic analysis ensuring rapid completion of laboratory testing of patients.
According to Dr. Al Zadjali, the phenotypic analysis is not sufficient to yield accurate results in all cases. His study has resulted in innovative research strategies for accurate and simplified analyses of genetic blood disorders for the first time globally, especially for alpha thalassemia and the findings were documented in five research papers published in international peer reviewed journals. Dr. Al Zadjali received his PhD degree from the High Applied School in Paris. This is the first achievement of its kind for the French research institute, as he is the first Omani student to receive a doctoral degree with honours High Applied School in Paris.
Around 50 per cent of the new-born in Oman were diagnosed with alpha thalassemia and these ratios did not vary from another study conducted in 1995 by the Ministry of Health among school children.
According to Dr Al Zadjali, the high prevalence of inherited blood disorders is an indication of lack of awareness programs in this area and lack of advanced diagnostic procedures. This is what motivated him to do further studies in association with the French institute. The aim of his PhD thesis was to confirm these hereditary blood diseases prevalence ratio using molecular genetics methods.
He used different genetic tests for the first time in Oman and identified tailor-made strategies for Oman on the basis of the nature and pattern of these diseases. His work has contributed substantially toward ensuring accuracy in the diagnostic procedures and obtains rapid results within short period of time.
Dr Al Zadjali said that the prevalence of inherited blood diseases in Oman is quite different from other countries in the region. That is because of the admixture of population living in Oman, which therefore created a novel models of diseases not found elsewhere.
Dr Al Zadjali hopes that his study would create a novel strategy for the rapid diagnosis of complex inherited blood diseases in Oman. “This strategy could be replicated in neighbouring countries in the gulf region that have similar problems with hereditary blood disorders,” he said.
