http://www.magtheweekly.com/83/mag_mail.php
Recently, the Sindh Assembly passed a unanimous resolution urging the Government to make blood tests for screening of various diseases such as Thalassemia, HIV, Hepatitis C and other fatal diseases mandatory before marriage.
In Pakistan, we have a yearly increase of 6 to 7 thousand babies who are a case of Thalassemia major. And at present over 1, 50, 000 patients of our country are suffering from this disease. It's not just the patient who suffers; their families too are emotionally and economically traumatised. In addition to that, since Thalassemia is a genetic disease, the trend of inter-marriages, increases the risk rate. Therefore, people should spread awareness and discourage inter-marriages in order to reduce the chances of concentrating recessive genetic traits within the family.
Considering all these facts, I think that it is a very positive initiative on the part of our provincial assembly and the masses should move forward and make this plan successful by being rational about it, instead of taking offense and by understanding the importance of a pre-marital blood test, so as to save their children from suffering later on.
