UAE | Health
Doctors call for stricter thalassaemia screening
Doctors have called for stricter pre-marital screening for thalassaemia, a genetic blood disease characterised by reduced or lack of haemoglobin, to prevent the condition from spreading.
- By Dina El Shamma, Staff Reporter
- Published: 23:29 July 11, 2009
Abu Dhabi: Doctors have called for stricter pre-marital screening for thalassaemia, a genetic blood disease characterised by reduced or lack of haemoglobin, to prevent the condition from spreading.
Even though medical experts across the UAE advise couples planning to get married to screen for hereditary and genetic conditions such as thalassaemia major, an official from the Disease and Preventive Screening Centre under the Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA), confirmed that the pre-marital screening programme only tests for HIV/Aids, syphilis and hepatitis B, and not for thalassaemia.
"The new pre-marital health test regulation issued by the Ministry of Health includes screening for thalassaemia, which is being implemented everywhere but across Abu Dhabi. We are still waiting for SEHA and Health Authority Abu Dhabi (HAAD) to regulate it," the official said.
There are more than 1,000 patients across the UAE diagnosed with thalassaemia.
Dr Saggaf Alawi, consultant paediatrician responsible for thalassaemia patients at Al Mafraq Hospital, said there are currently 50 patients he has diagnosed with thalassaemia, half of whom are children.
"We find it very important to hold our annual educational and social programmes for thalassaemia patients in order to update and educate them regarding the condition as well as review and diagnose how our patients are doing," he said.
Dr Muhannad M. Jaff, GP at Dar Al Shifaa Hospital, said testing for thalassaemia costs Dh300, double the cost of HIV/Aids. He said doctors need to learn more about the condition since at times they fail to detect thalassaemia in the blood.
He also noticed that premarital medical screening only requires a hepatitis, HIV and blood group test, which is not enough. "I wish the authorities would place stricter laws regarding that matter and implement a complete blood picture (CBP)," he said.
The Emirates Thalassaemia Society (ETS) also has 500 volunteers who assist in trying to prevent the disease from spreading. It also offers financial support to patients and children who are diagnosed with the condition.
Abdul Basat Merdas, founder of the society, has been working with thalassaemia patients for the past 10 years and finds that in every four pregnancies among thalassaemia carriers, one child is born with thalassaemia major, a 25 per cent risk for a child.
"Thalassaemia major patients require blood transfusions at least twice a month and medication, as well as constant follow-up and treatment that can range from Dh50,000 to Dh200,000 a year, depending on the patient's age, condition and diagnoses.
"So why not prevent the condition early? Getting married should be a rational decision, knowing that your child will have thalassaemia major isn't fair for the child," said Merdas.
Laith Waleed, who works in the society's PR Management said that a large number of organisations across the UAE do not hire anybody with thalassaemia major.
"I have worked for many years with thalassaemia major patients and they are among the hardest working, most intelligent people I have met in my life.
"However, companies stereotype them and refuse to employ them because they cannot afford to give them two days off during the week for their blood transfusion and rest time."
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