Thalassemia Centre requires 20 blood packs weekly to meet patient needs

Thalassemia Centre requires 220 packs of blood each week to meet the needs of its patients, the centre said today.

Speaking at Parliament’s Committee on Social Affairs during discussions on proposed amendments to the Thalassemia Control Act, the centre’s pediatrician, Dr Nusaiba Farooq Hassan, highlighted that no other hospitals require as much blood. She warned that separating the Thalassemia Centre from the Maldives Blood Service could create significant challenges in meeting patient demand.

Dr Nusaiba also outlined three proposed amendments to the law: the appointment of a thalassemia patient as a representative on the Thalassemia Advisory Board, mandatory preimplantation genetic testing, and allowances for thalassemia patients. She noted that life expectancy for thalassemia patients has improved considerably compared with the past.

According to recent statistics, there are 257 children under 18 and 400 adult thalassemia patients. Ten patients are currently undergoing bone marrow transplants abroad at government expense.

Maldives Blood Service Director General Ahmeem Farish said the Male' City Group of Hospitals aims to operate the blood service and Thalassemia Centre under a single framework, in line with the master plan prepared last year. Standards for the blood bank are also being developed, he added.

Thalassemia Society Chairperson Eeman Mohamed called for greater awareness of thalassemia in schools. While the topic is briefly covered in general science, he urged more intensive teaching for grades 8–10, rather than limiting it to upper secondary, as currently proposed in the law.