Dubai Health Authority (DHA) stressed the importance of early detection in preventing thalassemia, in light of World Thalassemia Day, which falls on May 8 of every year, during DHA’s Smart Clinic.
In the UAE, 8.5 per cent of the population are carriers, the rate can change from area to area and in Dubai the average carrier rate is estimated to be 4.5 per cent according to 2015 statistics.
The Thalassemia Centre announced previously that the mortality rate has been gradually declining over the years. In 2013, eight patients out of 438 patients (on regular blood transfusion) died from thalassemia, while in 2014, six out of 447 patients died. In 2015 three out of 436 patients died, while only one patient each died in 2016 and 2017 out of around 425 patients.
In addition to the advancements of technology, skills and methodology that have contributed to the decline of thalassemia mortality, Dr Ahmad Faraj, haematology specialist at the Thalassemia Centre said that early detection had a strong impact in reducing the incidences of mortality from the disease.
The Thalassemia Centre, which was established in 1989 was the first facility of its kind in the Middle East. It currently has 850 patients, with around 429 being on regular blood transfusion.
Dr Faraj said that since 2007 the centre has been carrying out exhaustive community outreach and awareness activities that directly resulted in reducing the number of thalassemia cases in the emirate.
Dr Faraj said thalassemia is a recessive genetic disease, meaning both parents must carry the gene to pass it along. When that is the case, with each pregnancy there is a 25 per cent chance that a child will be born with the disease, a 50 per cent chance the child will only be a carrier and a 25 per cent chance that the child will not be affected.
However, if only one parent has thalassemia, the baby will be a carrier but will not have thalassemia.
Dr Faraj added that it is inadvisable for both partners with thalassemia to get married because there are strong chances that all the babies born to that couple will carry the disease and we see several such cases.
The way to prevent this is that couples should not opt for the screening few days prior to the marriage.
They should go for the screening much in advance so that if both are carriers of the gene, they should avoid getting married.
