The project is intended to prevent the birth of babies with thalassaemia major through screening for the disease, counseling and prenatal diagnosis in 100 targeted families of Rawalpindi district.
Thalassaemia is a genetic disorder. Carrier rate for the disease in Pakistan is 6% whereas rate of consanguineous marriages is 60%. Around 6000 affected children are born each year. Family members of reproductive age group and children of 100 patients of Rawalpindi district will be screened. Those who are positive will be educated about the disease and counseled about methods of preventing birth of babies with thalassaemia major.
• Testing of blood samples of targeted families. • If found positive counseled regarding choosing marriage partners. • Counseling to married couples regarding antenatal diagnosis.
The project will help in reducing the birth of thalassaemic babies in 100 families thus reducing social and economic burden on them. Population thus educated will become a valuable human resource for expanding the project to other areas.
This project has provided additional documentation in a Microsoft Word file (projdoc.doc).
