President, PM urge all to raise awareness on Thalassemia

President Mohammed Shahabuddin and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday called upon all to create awareness to prevent Thalassemia.

They made the call in separate messages on the eve of “World Thalassemia Day” that would be observed on Wednesday.

The “World Thalassemia Day” is celebrated every year on May 8 aiming to raise awareness about this disease among the people throughout the world.

President Mohammed Shahabuddin, in his message, said Thalassemia is a genetically inherited disease and it passes on through a carrier.

If both husband and wife are carriers of Thalassemia, it can spread to children through the gene of the parents, the head of the state said, adding that therefore, it is important to determine through pre-marital examination whether a man or a woman is a carrier of the disease.

He said caution is exercised in establishing marital relations between men and women carrying the Thalassemia gene in different countries of the world in order to prevent the disease.

He said it is very important to create public awareness in Bangladesh to prevent this hereditary anaemia.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in her message, said it is very important for married persons (both male and female) to know if they are carriers of this disease before marriage.

The premier urged all professional individuals and organisations, voluntary organisations, the media, parents and conscious civil society to come forward, along with the government, to build social movements at home and in the neighbourhoods of the country to prevent the incurable disease Thalassemia.

The greatest Bangalee of all time, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman undertook various activities including the establishment of hospitals for the development of the medical system of the country soon after independence, she said.

Following his (Bangabandhu’s) footsteps, the present Awami League government is implementing massive development activities to bring healthcare to the doorsteps of the people and build a healthy, strong and functioning community by providing affordable quality health, nutrition and population (HNP) services to the people.

"With the joint efforts of all, I will build 'Golden Bangladesh' as dreamt by the father of the nation through the implementation of 'Vision-2041' in the health sector," she added.

Both the president and the premier wished for the overall success of all the programmes taken on the occasion of “World Thalassemia Day.”