Afghanistan is ranked 4th country of the world for high child mortality rate of 10% due to poor health awareness, living conditions, and treatment facilities, whereas; Thalassemia has a huge fraction of approximately 2% in total Afghan child mortality rat Due to this disease, haemoglobin which is contained in every RBC, is abnormally produced so the RBCs are misshapen and are broken down soon afte
r their formation. This leads to a drop in Hb% and the resulting anaemia needs to be treated with blood transfusion. FACTS ABOUT THALASSAEMIA
5-7% of our population (approx 8~10 million) are carrying genes of this disorder and are known as Thalassaemia minor. They do not need blood transfusions themselves but due to a by chance marriage of two such persons, they may give birth to a child with Thalassaemia major, who will need regular blood transfusion for the rest of their life. Due to a high carrier rate in our society more than 1000 to 1200 children with Thalassaemia major are born every year in Afghanistan. As a rough estimate, at any given time, more than 10,000 Thalassaemia major children may be found in our country, getting half heared treatment with infrequent blood transfusions and inadequate iron chelation therapy. For optimum treatment every Thalassaemic child will need frequent transfusions of screened packed red cells and regular iron chelation therapy.
