HCG opens first sickle cell clinic in Karnataka
Speaking after inauguration, HCG Chairman Dr B S Ajai Kumar said the clinic offered patient care, education, screening and counselling for afflicted patients and families to facilitate early detection of the disease and treatment.
Dr Intezar Mehdi, Consultant Paediatric Hematologist, HCG, said ''Sickle Cell is the first molecular disease known to the mankind for over 100 years now. Fifty per cent of the world sickle cell population resides in India. The disease is especially present in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chattisgarh, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka. Approximately 3.2 million population, belong to these high risk communities.'' Stressing on the need for awareness, he said that ''awareness is the key, because it is a genetic disorder. Genetic Counselling, premarital screening, antenatal diagnosis, newborn screening would be the key for effective management of the sickle cell disease.'' In 2008, UN adopted a resolution which determines sickle cell disease as a public health problem and one of the world's foremost genetic disease, requiring heightened awareness and activism, diagnosis and management. June 19 every year was declared as World Sickle Cell day to increase awareness of the condition all over the world (UNI -Posted on / )
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