Minister emphasizes societal role in Thalassemia awareness through education
Punjab govt to include Thalassemia awareness as part of academic syllabus. In a recent development in both education and health sector, Provincial Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique recently had meeting at the Higher Education Department, where he accentuated the urgency of integrating thalassemia awareness into the educational curriculum.
Distinguished officials attended the meeting including Dr. Farrukh Naveed, Secretary of the Higher Education Department, and Dr. Yasmin Ehsan, Director-General of the Thalassemia Prevention Programme.
He stated that the health minister reviewed certain measures during the session for increasing thalassemia awareness from primary to higher education students.
It is utterly critical that there be a pre-marriage test for thalassemia, adding that the government of Punjab is upgrading thalassemia testing facilities in the entire province.
Ensuring society’s involvement to contain thalassemia along with government’s agenda is vital, said the minister. He continued, “In the light of government initiatives, we aim to create awareness about thalassemia amongst university students through the curriculum.”
This is one of the broader initiatives aimed at educating students about thalassemia and the significance of pre-marriage screening. Government’s move to include thalassemia awareness into the educational curriculum will definitely enhance efforts towards reducing the number of thalassemia major cases in the province.
This move is significant because it recognizes that education is one of the ways to prevent and control thalassemia.
In fact, previously similar attempts were made for spreading information about thalassemia among students. For instance, the PTGD Sargodha Region has organized thalassemia awareness walks and screening camps at universities, with an aim to inject students with the importance of pre-marital screening and the free preventive services offered by PTGD.
Such events have been well received by students and faculty who have taken a pledge to spread the message, “Get the Thalassemia Test Done Before Marriage for a Thalassemia Major-Free Pakistan,” among their friends, colleagues, and fellow students.
