HYDERABAD: Thalassemia and Sickle Cell Society appealed to the people to donate blood for children suffering from thalassemia who need transfusion after every 20-30 days. The society also urged to contribute to the funds meant for its treatment. Speaking at a press conference here on Monday, Dr P Sujatha, joint director of AP state AIDS control society, said, "thousands of children die of thalassemia every year in the country, despite the fact, that it is a preventable disease". She further said, the TSCS had been conducting various awareness porgrammes since 1998 which had showed a good progress. “We will continue to extend our support to the TSCS in generating funds for the prevention of the disease", she added. TSCS's programmes are aimed at raising awareness on the genetic blood disorder among public, and the funds procurement to provide medical services to needy thalassemia children, said Chandrakanth Agarwal, president of TSCS.The society has transfusion centres, attached with blood banks, which oversee the treatment of blood disorders in Hyderabad, he informed.“We have started bone marrow transplantations which is the ultimate cure of thalassemia. But, the cost for it comes at around Rs 10 lakhs, which is why, we need support from various NGOs and government," he said.The society has 1,500 members, mainly the parents of thalassemia children. Transfusion, embedded with expensive drugs, is an absolute necessity for the survival of a thalassemia patient, he informed."It's a misconception that blood donation cause weakness in body. College students must come forward to save the lives of thalassemia children," said the speakers at the programme. Dr Ravi Kumar, an oncologist, Dr Sirisha, a hematologist at Rainbow Hospital, and Dr Sailesh Singi, a BMT physician at Hyderabad also spoke.
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