PESHAWAR - Paying rich tribute to eminent haematologist and General Secretary Omair Sana Foundation (OSF), Karachi, Dr Saqib Hussain Ansari and his team members for discovering treatment of deadly disease thalesaemia, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Information and Culture, Mian Iftikhar Hussain has said that it was a great achievement of the Pakistani doctors to have created antidote of a disease after hard work of 10 years.
These views he expressed while addressing as chief guest at a function held at Hamza Foundation Welfare Hospital Peshawar in honour of Dr Saqib Hussain Ansari, for his remarkable achievement in the field of medicines for thalessaemia patients on Monday.
Dr Saqib Hussain, Chairman Hamza Foundation, Ijaz Ali Khan and renowned artists Ajab Gul also addressed on the occasion.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Ansari said that Pakistani doctors, after a research of 10 years, succeeded in finding treatment of thalessaemia without transfusing blood to the patients. He revealed that 41 per cent out of 152 patients, in National Institute of Blood Diseases, got rid of blood transfusion, 39 per cent needed half of their earlier blood transfusion whereas the rest of 20% did not give response to the said research.
He however, added that efforts were under way and hoped they would soon succeed and find treatment of 100% patients.
Addressing the function, the Information Minister said there was no greater performance than the service of the ailing humanity and added that the research work done by Dr Ansari was a glaring example of it. He said that thalassaemia was a hereditary disease and it could be prevented with care and awareness. Therefore, efforts should be made to create awareness about the causes of thalassaemia so that it could be completely eliminated, he added. He urged that every individual should have a pre-marriage test of thalassaemia for a thalassaemia free society.
The Information Minister appealed to philanthropists to come forward and play their active role in eradication of thalassaemia from the society. He on this occasion announced establishment of Mian Rashid Hussain Shaheed Welfare Foundation for the services of the ailing humanity.
Earlier, the minister visited various sections of Hamza Foundation and met with parents of the patients also. He on this occasion announced full support to Hamza Foundation on behalf of the provincial government.