Renowned oncologist and President of Omair Sana Foundation (OSF), Dr Kashif Ansari said that OSF will conduct 100,000 Thalassemia screenings during this calendar year. He informed that OSF already working on mass screening campaign and Karachi University would have to be Thalassemia screened university in 2020. In addition, OSF is also working with Urdu and Hamdard University on the same lines, he added.

He was addressing a press conference on "Thalassemia Awareness" in OSF Karachi office. Dr Saqib Ansari, Dr Ambreen, Obaid Hashmi and others were also present. Dr Kashif said that loss of two children with a genetic disorder prompted us to incept Omair Sana Foundation so that children from poor strata could get treatment. Only mother knows the agony of losing her child, he said. He stressed upon enhancing bill implementation efforts to align government prevent Thalassemia by extensive awareness endeavours in this year. Pakistani cricket players are Thalassemia brand ambassadors, including some actors, will play from a Thalassemia team to create awareness in masses. Dr Kashif Ansari said that OSF has constituted a five members think tank to plan strategy to implement prevention bill. He also requested to divide donors on monthly basis who devotedly donate blood on the eve of birthday in order to avoid wastage of blood as the life of blood is not greater than 35 days. "We will also set up two Thalassemia Centers if government matches. Immediate measures should be taken to implement Thalassemia Prevention Bill 2014 in order to eradicate Thalassemia from our society", he added.-PR

Copyright Business Recorder, 2017