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DHAKA, Jan 13, 2025 (BSS) - Md Amir Uddin and his wife Sohely Akther are bankers by profession. They had a happy conjugal life along with two children- Raj, 7, and Jhilmil, 5.
 
But, for the last couple of days, Raj was not interest to play with his sister or other children at the ground floor of their building. He looks tired and board. One day, Raj feels into sick. They went to a medicine doctor. After several diagnoses, the doctor told the parents that their child is suffering from Thalassemia. For this, he is not able to run like other children.
 
Thalassemia is the most common congenital disorder in Bangladesh. It is estimated that nearly 7000 Thalassemia children are born every year in the country.
 
On May 8, 2024, The World Thalassemia Day was observed in the country as elsewhere in the globe to raise awareness about the disease. This year's theme was "Empowering Lives, Embracing Progress: Equitable and Accessible Thalassemia Treatment for All".
 
The World Thalassemia Day was also celebrated every year on May 8 aiming to raise awareness about this disease among the people throughout the world.
 
Thalassemia Center of Dhaka Shishu Hospital president Dr A Wakar Khan said Thalassemia not only affects children, it also creates psychological and social problems in the family. To prevent life-long agony, all couples must get a genetic test before planning a child, he added.
 
Expressing concern over the growing number of Thalassemia patients in the country, experts called for testing blood before marriage to prevent the disease.
 
Bangladesh Thalassemia Foundation (BTF) adviser Dr Md Aminul Islam said they have taken many initiatives to prevent the disease in the country.
 
He underscored the need for raising awareness among people to prevent it, saying media can play an important role in this regard.
 
Citing World Health Organization (WHO), Aminul said some seven percent people of total population are carriers of Thalassemia in Bangladesh. Around 7,000 children are born with the disease every year.
 
"We have no exact data on how many patients of the disease are there in Bangladesh. But according to International Thalassemia Federation, around 60,000 people are carrying Thalassemia in Bangladesh. A patient needs one or two bags blood in every month to survive," he added.
 
He also said they have created a volunteers' group with 10,000 blood donors.
 
Blood disease expert Professor Dr Monzur Morshed said there is a shortage of skilled manpower and medical equipment to serve patients with this disease.
 
Dr A Wakar Khan said, "Thalassemia is a preventable disease. It occurs only when both the parents carry the Thalassemia gene. In such families, the probability of having a Thalassemia-affected baby in each pregnancy is 25 percent. However, if either partner is healthy, children will not be affected at all."
 
He said Thalassemia is an inherited blood deficiency disorder that stops children's growth and makes them weak. If the child inherits the gene defect from both parents, it develops Thalassemia major. Avoiding marriage between two Thalassemia carriers may prevent the disease in children, Dr Khan added.

He went on saying that children with the disorder suffer from lack of oxygen as the body fails to produce adequate amounts of hemoglobin. As a result the child becomes weak and loses stamina. The broken down red cells produce a lot of iron generated to different body parts. Such body parts gradually become immobile and create many more problems in the body, he continued.

Gradually, the liver and spleen becomes enlarged. The medication to remove extra iron is also very expensive, Dr Khan said, adding it is said that the disease can be completely cured by transplanting bone marrow. However, bone marrow transplantation is very expensive.
 
The children who are only Thalassemia positive but is not affected can lead a normal life, the doctor opined.